A Seat at the Table

Summary

Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisolm rose from being the child of immigrants to running for the highest office in the land. She was both the first African American woman elected to the US Congress and the first African American woman of a major political party to make a serious run for president of the United States.

These achievements were not in spite of her background but rather because of it.

She persevered by being steadfast in her political convictions and unwilling to compromise on the issues she believed in. Chisholm directly challenged the political establishment and gave a political voice to so many segments of society that were historically ignored—women, racial minorities, young people, the gay community, domestic and agricultural workers, and the poor—not only in her home district in Brooklyn, New York, but across the country.

Her run for the 1972 Democratic presidential nomination may not have ended in victory, but it was successful in forging a grassroots campaign that united diverse Americans behind a candidate who championed their collective interests. Her efforts laid the groundwork for change then, now, and in the future.

Without Shirley Chisholm, there may not have been a Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, or Kamala Harris.

“A Seat at the Table is a must-read. The authors share Shirley Chisholm’s personal narrative and convey how she was passionate about equality and education as she navigated racism and sexism in the United States. She is an inspiration to all of uswho serve the public good.”—Dr. Camille M. Davidson, Dean of Southern Illinois University School of Law