Shirley Chisholm

I ran for the Presidency, despite hopeless odds, to demonstrate the sheer will and refusal to accept the status quo." "The next time a woman runs, or a black, a Jew or anyone from a group that the country is 'not ready' to elect to its highest office, I believe that he or she will be taken seriously from the start."

Shirley Chisholm never accepted she was less than because she was Black or because she was a woman. She had courage to face and beat the odds, becoming the first Black woman elected to Congress, and later the first black person to seek a major party's nomination for the U.S. presidency. She personified strength and dignity, never entertaining the thought that she couldn't be all she wanted. Her sheer will and determination are legendary. Her accomplishments have left an indelible legacy for Black women and politics.

Rest in Peace.