Title
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Shirley Chisholm's Election as the First African-American Congresswoman in the United States of America.
Body
WHEREAS, Shirley Chisholm was a woman of many firsts. She was the first African-American Congresswoman. She was the first African-American to run for president, and the first woman to run for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination. She never allowed society's expectations of black women dictate what she believed she could achieve, despite the intimidation tactics of many both in and outside the political realm. She was a fierce advocate for equality and justice, and was unapologetic about her vision for an America that fully embraced freedom. In everything she did, she strove for excellence, trailblazing the way for future black and women elected leaders; and
WHEREAS, Shirley Anita St. Hill was born November 30, 1924 in Brooklyn, New York. She was the oldest of four children born to Ruby Seale and Charles Christopher St. Hill. Her parents were both immigrants from the Caribbean region. When Shirley was five years old, she and her two sisters were sent to Barbados to live with their maternal grandmother, Emaline Seale. As a result, Shirley spoke with a recognizable West Indian accent throughout her life, and she would always consider herself a Barbadian American. Shirley attended a one-room schoolhouse that took education seriously. She accredits this strict, traditional education for her oratory and writing skills. She later returned to the United States in 1934, and attended Girls' High School in Brooklyn, a highly regarded, integrated school; and
WHEREAS, Chisholm graduated cum laude from Brooklyn College in 1946 with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. She had a distinguished undergraduate career where she won prizes for her debating skills, and was a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She went on to earn her Master of Arts in Elementary Education from the Teachers College at Columbia U...
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