Shirley Chisholm American politician, educator Date of Birth: 30.11.1924 Country: USA

Biography of Shirley Chisholm

Shirley Anita St. Hill was born on November 30, 1924, in Brooklyn, New York. Her parents were immigrants, with her father Charles Christopher St. Hill coming from British Guiana in April 1923, and her mother Ruby Seale being born in Barbados and living in the USA since March 1921. When Shirley was three years old, her parents sent her to Barbados to live with her maternal grandparents, and she only returned home after seven years. In Barbados, she received her primary education at an excellent British school with strict standards.

In 1946, Shirley earned a bachelor's degree from Brooklyn College and in 1952, she graduated from Columbia University, obtaining a master's degree with a specialization in elementary education. From 1953 to 1959, Chisholm served as the director of the Hamilton-Madison Child Care Center, and then worked as an education consultant until 1964. In 1964, Chisholm was elected to the New York State Legislature and in 1968, she ran as the Democratic candidate for Congress from the 12th district of New York and won against Republican James Farmer. Chisholm became the first African-American woman to be elected to Congress and in 1969, she was one of the founders of the Congressional Black Caucus.

During her time in Congress, Chisholm focused on improving the lives of urban residents. She advocated for increased funding for education, healthcare, and other social projects, and campaigned for the reduction of military spending. Chisholm served on several committees, including the Agriculture Committee, the Veterans' Affairs Committee, and the Education Committee.

Chisholm made history again on January 25, 1972, becoming the first black candidate for President of the United States and the first woman to seek the Democratic Party's nomination for President (Margaret Chase Smith previously ran for President as a Republican). At the 1972 Democratic National Convention, Chisholm received 152 votes.

After serving in Congress for seven terms, from 1969 to 1983, Chisholm announced her retirement in 1982. In 1983, she was succeeded by Democratic candidate Major Owens. Following her retirement, Chisholm taught for four years at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts and gave public lectures. She married Conrad Chisholm, a private detective from Jamaica, in 1949, and they divorced in 1977. She then married Arthur Hardwick Jr., a businessman from Buffalo, and widowed in 1986.

Chisholm received several honors throughout her life, including an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Smith College in 1975, induction into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 1993, and inclusion in the list of "100 Greatest African Americans" by scholar Molefi Kete Asante in 2002. Chisholm retired to Florida and passed away on January 1, 2005, near Daytona Beach. She was buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo, New York.