(AURN News) — On Nov. 5, 1968, Shirley Chisholm made history as the first Black woman elected to Congress, winning New York’s 12th Congressional District seat in Brooklyn.
Running under the powerful slogan “Unbought and Unbossed,” Chisholm shattered racial and gender barriers during one of the most turbulent periods in American history.
A former educator and New York State Assembly member, Chisholm championed public education, economic justice, civil rights and opportunities for working families. She refused to be intimidated by political establishments that underestimated Black women.
In 1972, she made history again, becoming the first Black candidate to seek a major party’s presidential nomination. Throughout her seven terms in Congress, Chisholm remained a fearless advocate for those historically excluded from political power.
