Episode 68: Unbought and Unbossed - Shirley Chisholm
In honor of Black History Month, I am putting a spotlight on influential black Americans that paved the way for others.
Our first spotlight is the first African American candidate for a major party's nomination for president of the United States, Shirley Chisholm. Shirley was born on November 30, 1924. She was a politician, educator, author, and the first black woman elected to the United States Congress.
Shirley's family immigrated from Barbados, and from a young age she had strong ties to the island. She lived by the mantra of being unbought and unbossed, a slogan that she used throughout her career, and was demonstrated from an early age.
In college, she won prizes for her debate skills, not an easy fee as a woman. After graduation, she worked as a teacher's aide, and an early child care center. While she worked there, she continued her education to earn a master's in elementary education, which led her to move from aid to center director. She was not content simply letting injustices happen in front of her. She quickly became known for standing up for issues involving early education and child welfare. It didn't take long for Shirley to enter the world of politics. She started as a volunteer for Brooklyn's democratic clubs, and worked her way up from volunteer to the New York State Legislature.
Shirley Chisholm is not only an inspiration for all women but she was also a force to be reckoned with. This story shows the determination of a smart, educated, and thoughtful woman of color but also the sheer will and refusal to accept the status quo.
In this episode Thea discusses:
Shirley Chisholm’s story
Why she entered into politics
How Shirley refused to accept that women could not have a seat at the table
How she allowed herself to be seen and heard
A full transcript of this episode can be found here.
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Resources and Links
Autobiography of Shirley Chisholm, Unboought and Unbossed
The sound bite of Shirley Chisholm was sourced from www.archives.gov and their Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com
Creator(s): U.S. Information Agency. 1982-10/1/1999 (Most Recent)
Series: Moving Images Relating to U.S. Domestic and International Activities , 1982 - 1999
Record Group 306: Records of the U.S. Information Agency, 1900 - 2003
Production Date: 1974
National Archives Identifier: 54173
Local Identifier: 306.9028
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