Chisholm, Shirley (1924–2005)

African-American politician. Pronunciation: CHIZ-um. Born Shirley Anita St. Hill, Nov 30, 1924, in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, New York; died Jan 1, 2005, in Osmond Beach, Florida; dau. of Charles Christopher St. Hill (laborer) and Ruby (Seale) St. Hill (born in Barbados); Brooklyn College, BA in sociology (1946); Columbia University, MA in education (1953); m. Conrad Chisholm, Oct 8, 1949 (div., Feb 1977); m. Arthur Hardwick Jr., Nov 26, 1977; no children.

The 1st African-American woman elected to US House of Representatives (1968) and 1st African-American woman candidate for the presidency of US (1972), paved the way for the later nominations of both minority and female candidates for national office; spent ages 3 to 11 in Barbados with maternal grandmother (1927–35); served as director of the large Hamilton-Madison Child Care Center in Lower Manhattan (1953–59); began work for the New York City Division of Day Care, and gained recognition as a child-care expert (1959); was active in Democratic Party politics (1950–80), founding, with others, the reform-oriented Unity Democratic Club in Brooklyn (early 1960s); elected to New York State Assembly (1964); won reelection (1965 and 1966); elected to US House of Representatives from Bedford Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn (1968) and was appointed to the House Education and Labor Committee; served 7 terms, becoming a celebrated advocate of women, minorities, and domestic priorities (retiring in 1982); in Congress, concentrated on issues related to jobs, housing, education and welfare; ran for the Democratic nomination for president of US (1972), the 1st black woman, and only the 2nd woman, to seek the presidency; taught courses on politics, race, and women at Mount Holyoke.

See also memoirs, Unbought and Unbossed (Houghton, 1970) and The Good Fight (Harper & Row, 1973); and Women in World History.