As a presidential candidate 50 years ago, Shirley Chisholm made a solemn vow to the marginalized people of America: she would not yield, she would not stop, and she would take her fight all the way to the Democratic National Convention. She believed that Black people and other racial minorities, women and the working class deserved a voice at the convention who truly advocated for their interests.
On July 13th 1972, the Congresswoman made good on that promise. Although a handful of other Democratic candidates had already dropped out—including a one-time frontrunner—Chisholm kept fighting until the end. At the DNC, she became the first African American woman to have her name entered into nomination for the United States presidency. At the end of the Convention, Shirley Chisholm looked to the future.
“I have done it,” she said. “I have paved the way.”
Stay tuned on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for updates on the Chisholm Project’s 50th Anniversary Celebration of Shirley Chisholm’s 1972 presidential campaign.