Shirley Chisholm and the 10 other gallant Black women who have run for president

Shirley Chisholm

Pioneering African-American politician Shirley Chisholm is well known for becoming the first Black congresswoman in 1968, representing New York State in the U.S. House of Representatives for seven terms. Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1924, to Guyanese and Barbadian parents, Chisholm ran for the 1972 Democratic nomination for the presidency, making her the first African-American to seek a presidential nomination from a major political party. The political icon, throughout her career in politics, fought for social justice and education opportunities and although she did not emerge victorious in the presidential nomination race, she will be remembered for her perseverance in the wake of the attacks she received from a society that did not wholly enfranchise women and people of color. She died in 2005.