|
|
Article: Chisholm, Shirley 1924-
- Article from:
- American Decades
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 The Gale Group, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
CHISHOLM, SHIRLEY 1924-
Representative from new york
"Fighting Shirley Chisholm."
The first African American woman ever to sit in the U.S. Congress, "Fighting Shirley Chisholm," as she liked to be called, established herself as a vocal defender of women and the poor. Articulate and energetic, she gained national recognition for her efforts, and in 1972 she launched a failed campaign for the Democratic nomination for president.
Life and Background
Born in Brooklyn, New York, on 30 November 1924, Shirley Anita St. Hill grew up on the farm of her maternal grandmother in Barbados. At age eleven she returned to Brooklyn with her parents and graduated cum laude from Brooklyn College. She went ...