Historical Figure - Shirley Chisholm

Shirley Chisholm

Born November 30th 1924 - Died January 1st 2005

American Politican, Congresswoman, Buissnesswoman, Educator, and civil rights activist. ~ "Don't listen to those who say YOU CAN'T. Listen to the voice inside yourself that says, I CAN."

Standards & Grade Level

Grade Level: 4th Correlating State Standards: - Standard - 5.2.4.C Describe the roles of leadership and public service in school, community, state, and nation. - Standard - 5.3.4.B Describe how the elected representative bodies function in making local and state laws. - Standard - 5.3.4.D Identify positions of authority at the local and state, and national level. - Standard - 6.3.4.A Explain how government responds to social needs by providing public goods and services. - Standard - 7.4.4.A Identify the effect of the physical systems on people within a community. - Standard - 7.4.4.B Identify the effect of people on the physical systems within a community. - Standard - 8.1.4.B Distinguish between fact and opinion from multiple points of view, and primary sources as related to historical events. - Standard - 8.3.4.A Differentiate common characteristics of the social, political, cultural and economic groups in United States history.

EDucation Experiences - Elementary to High school

Shirley graduated from Girls' High School in 1942 with scholarship offers and at the top of her class. With little to no options, she enrolled to attend Brooklyn College to become a teacher.

Life outside the classroom: - Shirley's Family moved twice during her early school years. - The economy suffered a depression in the 30's/40's which made living difficult for most in NY cities, minorites especially. - Money was tough therefore her parents had to work odd hours leaving Shirley responsible for her 3 youngest sisters.

After moving back to brooklyn NY, Shirley attended P.S 84 and was put in the 3rd grade. She advanced through the primary grades in reading, writing, and math. later going to P.S 28 she excelled and entered J.H.S 178 in the late 30's.

Learning Experiences at Home: - Shirley learned to play the piano & took lessons. - Her father purchased 3 newpapaers everyday that they would read together. - Mother would take her and her sisters to the library on certain days. She was able to take home as many books as she cpuld. - High expectations of her were set from parents in a loving way to ensure their daughter's receive their deserved success.

- Born in Brooklyn, NY 1924 as Shirley Anita St. Hill, oldest of 4 girls. - Parents were Charles St. Hill & Ruby Seale. Father a baker, later a factory worker. Mother was a seamstress, later a maid/cleaner. - Had three sisters named Odessa, Muriel, and Selma. - Before Selma was born, for several years her mother & father sent the three girls to live in Barbados with their grandmother on her farm (baby Shirley with her grandmother on the right}. This was to help them save enough to provide for the family. Near the end of their stay Selma was born. - Shirley returned back to New York in March of 1934. - Lived in old run down apartments, where most minorities and immangrants lived in Brooklyn. - Attended school for African Americans and an all girls school during her early childhood.

Attended Brooklyn College in 1942. Was set on becoming a teacher as her fate. This was because of the lack of African American opportunities for jobs.

- Brooklyn College was one of largest and top schools for low/poverty line students. - Tuition was free

Shirley Meets Politics

Many of the clubs and groups she participated in dealt with advoacy for change. Especially towards the African American majority. She learned leadership skills and ways to communicate her beleifs. This impacted Shirley to push her college to offer Black History and for Women to get involved in student governing. Her politcal science professor Dr. Warsoff told her, "You ought to go into politics." Chisholm replied, " Proffy, you forget two things. I'm black - and I'm a woman." Little did Shirley know of what she was capable of accomplishing!

In college she was heavily involved. She was apart of the following that influenced her political experiences. - President of Student Council Harriet Tubman Society - Political Science Society - Brooklyn Chapter of the NAACP - Formed an all black womens society called IPOTHIA (In pursuit of the highest in all) - Worked in the Urban Leauge

Congressional Journey & Accomplishments

Starting in 1968, Shirley Chisholm became the first African American Woman to serve in the U.S Congress House of Representatives. She served 7 terms in the New York 12th Congressional District’s House seat where she made the following impacts. - Funding member of the Congressional Black Caucus and Congressional Women’s Caucus - Helped design the food program WIC for families and children - 1974 minimum wage law - Created a bill for a program called SEEK that gave scholarships towards black high school students - Voting Rights Act Amendments of 1982 - Rehabilitation Act Amendments - Orphan Drug Act - Over 55 bills Shirley oversaw were passed into becoming U.S laws

Starting in Politics

After graduating in 1951, Chisholm struggled to receive a teaching career due to her physcical traits. She was small, looked younger than her actual age too. Eventually she secured a job at the Mr. Calvary Child Care Center in Harlem NY. She worked there for 7 years. To become even more prepared she went for her masters in Early Childhood Education at Columbia. This is where she was introduced to New York's Politcal 'Club houses'. Later in 1954 - 59' she was a director for Hamiliton-Madison Child Care Center in Manhattan. In 1964 she... - Became a member of the 17th Assembly District Democratic Club in - During this time she noticed the lack of Female African American recognition in the political world and wanted it to change. - In 1965 Shirley Chisholm became the 2nd African American women to be elected as a lawmaker for the state of New York as an assesmlywoman. She represented Bedford - Stuveyant, her local community in Brooklyn.

Presidental Announcement

In 1972 Shirley Chisholm ran for United States Presidental Election. Unfortuanetly she lost to George McGovern, who later lost to president Rhichard Nixon.

Life after Congress

- Left congress in 1982 to take care of her 2nd Husband after a serious car accident, he passed in 1986. - Became a professor of Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. Became a speaker at local colleges as well. - Was an influencer to many African American politicans after her; Jessie Jackson, Geraldine Ferraro, Barak Obama, Kamila Harris, etc. - 1991 Shirley moved to Florida, later declined the nomination to become U.S. Ambassador to Jamaica by Bill Clinton, due to ill health.

January 1st, 2005 Shirley Anita St Hill ( Later Chisholm & then Hardwick) passed away in Ormand Beach, Florida. She was 80 years old. She was awarded the Medal of Freedom in 2015 by former president Barak Obama.

Primary Sources & Relia

Presidental Campaign flyer from 1972

First book written in 1970

Childrens Book published in 2021

Outside the Doors

Personal Life: - Family finally moved into a home the last year of her undergrad at Brooklyn College - Married Conrad Chisholm whom she met at Columbia University in 1949 & Divorced in 1977. - In 1977 remarried Aurther Hardwick Jr till he passed in 1986. - Father Charles St Hill Died a year before she won her congressional seat. He was the most influential person in her life for her love in politics. - During her campaign in 1972-73', Shirley was diagnosed for having tumors in her spine and arm. She still perservered and was up the next day after surgery. "I was determined to get back on the streets." Shirley states in her book "Unbought and Unbossed".

Citations

https://pdesas.org/default.aspx

https://ny.curbed.com/maps/mapping-the-1920s-new-york-city-of-the-great-gatsby

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/211458144976171621/

https://news.cornellcollege.edu/2021/02/pioneering-women-top-moments-womens-history-cornell-college/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCO_qbgZ2ss&t=1s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3MEK65hrtA

https://www.gettyimages.fi/detail/news-photo/shirley-chisholm-gets-a-kiss-from-her-husband-conrad-after-news-photo/515542692

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/514817801135937708/

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/photos/shirley-chisholm-remembered-at-memorial-service

https://groovyhistory.com/shirley-chisholm-president-1972

https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95828537

https://oneclass.com/blog/cuny-brooklyn-college/169642-10-buildings-you-need-to-know-at-cuny-brooklyn-college.en.html

http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/blackspeech/schisholm-2.html

http://brooklyn.cuny.edu/web/academics/schools/socialsciences/interdisciplinary/undergraduate/womens/chisholmproject.php

https://brobids.azurewebsites.net/DfdeV1x2fdd2zaEzvAlI1gu89-yN1IbUI5Bdt166wco/?cid=65020d08e635ef00018f2ba5&sid=15931033

https://brobids.azurewebsites.net/DfdeV1x2fdd2zaEzvAlI1gu89-yN1IbUI5Bdt166wco/?cid=65020d08e635ef00018f2ba5&sid=15931033

http://74774790.weebly.com/early-life.html

https://blog.blackbutterflybeautiful.com/7-facts-about-trailblazer-shirley-chisholm-the-first-black-woman-to-run-for-president/

https://rourkeeducationalmedia.com/products/shirley-chisholm-paperback

https://www.abebooks.com/9780395109328/Unbought-Unbossed-Chisholm-Shirley-0395109329/plp

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/shirley-chisholm-obituary?pid=2994019&view=guestbook