In 1968, Shirley Chisholm made history when she became the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress. Four years later, the Democrat did it again when she declared that she was running for president (see photo, above). Chisholm was the first Black person from a major political party to seek the position.
Chisholm’s trailblazing political career helped lay the foundation for other historic achievements, including those of Vice President Kamala Harris—the first woman, the first Black person, and the first Asian American person to hold the nation’s second-highest office.
“Shirley Chisholm paved the way for me and so many others,” Harris said in a post-election Instagram post.
A champion of racial and gender equality, Chisholm fought for social justice. She worked to help poor Americans and expand access to quality education. She also regularly battled racism and sexism to achieve her goals. Chisholm famously once said: “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring your own folding chair.”