Shirley Chisholm’s Legacy Claimed A Seat at the Table for Black Women

By Aprill O. Turner Originally appeared in Word in Black Chisholm knocked down barriers and opened doors that led to Black women refusing to wait for an invitation to claim a seat at the table. Shirley Anita ChisholmNovember 30, 1924 – January 1, 2005 The life of the great Shirley Chisholm was punctuated with pivotal firsts: She was the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress in 1968, the first Black candidate to seek a major party nomination for president in 1972, and the first Black woman to stare down the political system and declare her status: Unbought and Unbossed. In a style that defiantly recast the mold for Black women in politics that has stuck over the decades, she famously proclaimed: “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” This November as we mark Chisholm’s 100th birthday, we also celebrate her living legacy. Daughter of immigrants, she aspired to transform her community and the nation, crowned the quintessential leader inspiring a generation of women to think and act boldly.& As the first Black woman to serve in Congress, Chisholm planted a seed of political activism that transcended race in America. Her legacy...