I will periodically have brief blogs dedicated to some amazing, barrier breaking women of the 20th century in tribute for their efforts to break grounds in times that women were not allowed to do so.
I will begin with a woman I recently discovered and fell in love with, Shirley Chisholm. Born November 30, 1924 in Brooklyn, New York Shirley Chisholm stood up for herself and what she believed in throughout her life. Having received excellent schooling while living with her grandmother in Barbados and then at her Brooklyn Girls High School, when entering college Shirley encountered obstacles and instantaneously fought to overcome them. At Brooklyn College she saw social clubs that would not allow black students to join and took it upon herself to start new ones. Even though Chisholm graduated with honors, finding jobs as a young black woman in the late 40's and early 50's proved to be tough, but she eventually landed a job at the Mt. Calvary Childcare Center in Harlem New York. Always ambitious, Shirley participated in local politics and helped form the Bedford Stuyvesant political league and later began the Unity Democratic Club. The Unity Club put efforts into mobilizing black and Hispanic voters. In 1964 Chisholm won the state assembly seat for New York and served in the New York General Assembly for 4 years. Shirley Chisholm was an active advocate for children and while working in the legislature she proposed a bill for the state to provide aid for day care centers as well as voting for increased funding in schools on a per student basis. Moving on from legislature Shirley won the election and became the first African American woman elected to Congress! During her first term in Congress Chisholm fought out for civil rights, woman's rights, against the Vietnam War, and even hired an all women staff. Shirley also helped co found the National Organization for Women. On January 25, 1972 Shirley Chisholm announced that she would run for President of the United States. Although Chisholm did not win the nomination, she did receive 151 of delegates' votes and instead went on to serve in the House of Representatives until 1982 when she retired from office. Having been an advocate for women, minorities, and children, Shirley Chisholm most certainly is a female trailblazer of the 20th century having helped pave the ground for women to go after their dreams and fight for what they believe in.
Here is the opening statement from when she announced her candidacy for president:
"I stand her before you today as a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the Presidency of the United States. I am not the candidate of black America, although I am black and proud. I am not the candidate of the women's movement of this country, although I am a woman, and I am equally proud of that. I am not the candidate of any political bosses or special interests. I am the candidate of the people."
:)
