African American History-Shirley Chisholm
Introduction
Shirley Chisholm was born in 1924. She went down history books due to her contributions as an author, an educator, and an American politician. She is famous for her political achievements in the United States, such as being the first black woman to get elected into Congress and being the first woman to make a bid at the presidency. However, these reasons are not how she wanted people to remember her. Instead, she wanted people to remember her as a black woman who lived in the 20th century and dared to be herself (Chisholm 14). Also, she regarded herself as a catalyst for change in America and wanted others to do the same.
Surviving Racism
Chisholm showed no fear as she went about her activities in a society where her race was considered inferior. In 1968, she boldly stepped up to run for a position in the US congress. The job had very few Blacks before her and never had a black woman held such a place before. Even though the odds seemed stacked against her, she boldly declared that she would be running for the position. Her boldness became more evident in her slogan, “unbought and unbossed” (Chisholm 5). This slogan forms her most significant motivation for most of her life. She believed in her abilities and would not let anyone influence her or intimidate her in feeling otherwise.
Chisholm referred to the factors that made her aspirations seeming impossible. At the time of her election, the House of Representatives hosted a total of four hundred and thirty-five members. This population comprised of four hundred and seventeen white males. Of the remaining group, ten were women, and only nine individuals were black (Chisholm 19). She pointed out that these figures put her at a double disadvantage, first because she was black, and secondly because she was a woman. However, she did not let these challenges get in the way of her aspirations. Instead, she displayed her bold character and rose to the problem that was in front of her. Consequently, she won the election, a feat that makes her famous to date.
Chisholm was brilliant since birth and boasted a higher IQ than most of her peers. She notes that she began walking and talking earlier than other children usually do (Chisholm 22). Her exceptional academic skills, coupled with her excellent study habits enforced by her parents, kept her school grades high. Her exploits earned her a French medal. Eventually, she got to have a leadership position in Junior Arista. She was the vice-chairperson of the girl’s honor society (Chisholm 22). This feat was an achievement because, at the time, it was a rare feat to find a black student holding a position in the office.
One of the major themes from the film, “Cultural Criticism” by Bell Hooks is the role that the media plays in shaping the lives of people in society, whether individually or collectively. Mass media portrayed women as being slaves to men by making them appear significantly weaker than their counterparts. Hooks encouraged women to stop playing passive roles in the events that take place in their lives. Instead, they should take a stand in what they believe in. In the same way, Chisholm was not afraid to appear different in society. She was not prepared to sit back and accept oppression as the other blacks did. She fought for what she believed in and earned the recognition of being the catalyst for change in America.
Demonstration of Self-determination and Authentic Self
Ever since her childhood, Chisholm showed a great determination to get what she wanted despite any obstacle that may have presented themselves during the period. For example, when she transferred from Barbados to Brooklyn, she did not get enrolled in the sixth form as she had expected. Instead, the school drafted her to grade 3-B, much to her displeasure (Chisholm 34). Consequently, she developed a nasty attitude towards her classmates, who were two years younger than her. She would make their lives difficult by bullying them and hitting them with snaps from her rubber bands. She went ahead to cause problems for teachers by hitting them with spitballs.
Eventually, the school management had had enough and decided to intervene. Their intervention involved instituting corrective measures that meant that Chisholm would get promotion to the grade that she deserved to be in. This development shows how she was determined to fight for what she believed she deserved, even though some people may not have approved of her methods. From a different perspective, her actions are understandable because of the conditions that existed. The terms displayed significant acts of racism against her black ethnicity. They were overlooked, and their opinion did not matter. While others stayed quiet and accepted the situation as it was, Chisholm stood up for her rights and did everything in her power to get what she believed she deserved.
Chisholm made a career choice early on during her college years. She was aware of the situation surrounding career opportunities for her race. The cost of studying medicine, nursing, or law was too much for her family to afford. Her intelligence levels were well suited for such high profile careers. However, very few schools were willing to admit black men in the day, let alone a black woman (Chisholm 41). Therefore, she settled on pursuing a career in education because it was the best shot she had as a young black woman.
Black Panther
The Black Panther movement was famous for its unique attire of all black. The attire inspired many black individuals across the country to join the movement (Pough 60). Their tactics appeared shady and unconventional. However, from an oppressed person’s point of view, one can understand why people would resort to such measures to get a degree of justice and freedom from their oppressors. Shirley would have shown an exceptional understanding of the group’s actions because she was radical in her right during the early stages of her life. Oppression often pushes people to the limit, forcing them to resort to various measures in a bid for survival, or at least get the oppressors to listen to their grievances.
Chisholm’s Legacy
Undoubtedly, Shirley Chisholm was an inspiration to many people in the United States, particularly Blacks and women. Many people describe her as a catalyst for change in the United States (Winslow 1). This reference is how Shirley had wanted people to remember her. However, it was her actions that earned her the title. She was a bold woman who would not sit back and watch people oppress her. If she could help it, she would do something about the situation to help her get what she believed she deserved.
After her long journey through the trials that came her way, she struggled to get to the top of American politics. She bravely contested for a seat in Congress despite the odds of being incredibly stacked against her. She is a classic example of how far one’s determination can take them, despite how impossible the task may appear. She was rewarded for her efforts when she won the election to Congress. Therefore, she became the first black woman to become part of the American Congress. At the time, such a feat was unheard of. Consequently, the achievement got her recognition all over the country, serving as an inspiration to many people.
After her success at the congress level, she did not let her ambitions dwindle. She took her goals further by presenting her bid at the United States’ presidency.at this point, she again became the first black woman to bid for the presidency. This move also served as an inspiration to minority groups, acting as an empowerment tool for them. Even though she did not become the president, her actions helped demonstrate that everyone was equal and could do anything that they have set their mind on. One of the notable public figures that drew inspiration from Chisholm’s exploits is Nancy Pelosi. She became the first woman speaker of the House and paid tribute to Shirley Chisolm for demonstrating that even the oppressed in society had the power to achieve greatness (Chisholm 14).
Chisholm’s legacy continues to live on thanks to some of the movements she founded. For example, the National Organization of Women continues its operations in protecting and defending women’s rights. She was the co-founder of the organization, which has achieved great success in terms of empowering women.
Conclusion
Shirley Chisholm was a bold figure during her time in politics. Her fearless nature became characteristic of her from a very early age. The more she grew watching her race getting oppressed, the more she felt that she needed to do something about it. When the opportunity finally presented itself, she seized it and never looked back. Her achievements in society against the odds have earned her recognition, not just in America, but in other parts of the world as well. She will forever be remembered as the catalyst for change in America.
Works Cited
Brown, Tammy L. “A New Era in American Politics”: Shirley Chisholm and the Discourse of Identity.” Callaloo 31.4 (2008): 1013-1025.
Chisholm, Shirley. Unbought and unbossed. Take root media, 2010.
Gallagher, Julie. “Waging” the good fight”: the political career of Shirley Chisholm, 1953-1982.” The Journal of African American History 92.3 (2007): 392-416.
Pough, Gwendolyn. “Rhetoric that should have moved the people: Rethinking the Black Panther Party.” African American Rhetoric (s): Interdisciplinary Perspectives (2007): 59-72.
Winslow, Barbara. Shirley Chisholm: Catalyst for Change. Westview Press, 2013.