Shirley Chisholm lived most of her life in secrecy and made a special effort to protect herself from the public, especially her personal and private life. She lived a very painful and lonely life surrounded by few friends and family. When Congresswoman Chisholm retired as a politician in 1983, she completely removed herself from political life. Hundreds of mass media people, film writers, book publishing companies, producers and authors have sought information about her personal and private life. Many of them offered $25,000 to $50,000 for this information. This book can serve as a resource of information on how to survive in a racist, sexist and political environment as a woman. It is a must read to inspire, teach and educate people of all races about the life and legacy of a great American. The book addresses the early life of Congresswoman Chisholm’s birth on November 30, 1924 in the Bedford-Stuyvesant community of Brooklyn, New York to her death in Ormond Beach, Florida on January 1, 2005.

Shirley Chisholm lived most of her life in secrecy and made a special effort to protect herself from the public, especially her personal and private life. She lived a very painful and lonely life surrounded by few friends and family. When Congresswoman Chisholm retired as a politician in 1983, she completely removed herself from political life. Hundreds of mass media people, film writers, book publishing companies, producers and authors have sought information about her personal and private life. Many of them offered $25,000 to $50,000 for this information. This book can serve as a resource of information on how to survive in a racist, sexist and political environment as a woman. It is a must read to inspire, teach and educate people of all races about the life and legacy of a great American. The book addresses the early life of Congresswoman Chisholm's birth on November 30, 1924 in the Bedford-Stuyvesant community of Brooklyn, New York to her death in Ormond Beach, Florida on January 1, 2005.

"In the midst of her groundbreaking career in the U.S. House of Representatives, Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm once declared, 'Everyone--with the exception of the black woman herself--has been interpreting the black woman.' Edited by the leading scholar dedicated to the study of Chisholm's legacy, Shirley Chisholm in Her Own Words gives readers a rare opportunity to engage with the Congresswoman's powerful ideas through the power of her own voice. The introduction by Dr. Zinga A. Fraser, Director of the Shirley Chisholm Project on Brooklyn Women's Activism and author of a forthcoming book on Chisholm and Black Congressional women's political legacy, provides insight into Chisholm's role as a public intellectual and Black feminist during the Civil Rights and Black Power era"--

"A tremendously impressive book."--Washington Post "Her motto and title of her autobiography--Unbossed and Unbought--illustrates her outspoken advocacy for women and minorities during her seven terms in the U.S. House of Representatives."--National Women's History Museum In this classic work--a blend of memoir social criticism, and political analysis that remains relevant today--the first Black Congresswoman to serve in American history, New York's dynamic representative Shirley Chisholm, traces her extensive political struggle and examines the problems that have long plagued the American system of government. "I want to be remembered as a woman . . . who dared to be a catalyst of change."Political pioneer Shirley Chisholm--activist, member of the House of Representatives and former presidential candidate--was a woman who consistently broke barriers and inspired generations of American women, and especially women of color. Unbossed and Unbought is her story, told in her own words--a thoughtful and informed look at her rise from the streets of Brooklyn to the halls of Congress. Chisholm speaks out on her life in politics while illuminating the events, personalities, and issues of her time, including the schism in the Democratic party in the 1960s and '70s--all which speak to us today. In this frank assessment, "Fighting Shirley" recalls how she took on an entrenched system, gave a public voice to millions, and embarked on a trailblazing bid to be the first woman and first African American President of the United States. By daring to be herself, Shirley Chisholm shows how one person forever changed the status quo.

Shirley Chisholm became the first black woman elected to Congress in 1968 after campaigning under the slogan, "Unbought and Unbossed," and her political career never swerved from that principle--she was fearless, undaunted, brilliant, and always first and foremost a servant to nobody but the people. When Shirley Chisholm announced her candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1972, she became the first black candidate for a major party's nomination just four years after she had become the first ever black woman in Congress. In typical fashion, she acknowledged the landmark but knew it was beside the point: "I am not the candidate of black America, although I am black and proud. I am not the candidate of the women's movement of this country, although I am a woman and I'm equally proud of that." What she emphasized was: "I am the candidate of the people of America." Her legacy has only further demonstrated her profoundly humane politics and her undaunted and tireless work ethic. In a set of interviews that extend from the first major profile by Susan Brownmiller to her final interview documenting her life and reflecting on her legacy, Shirley Chisholm reveals her disciplined and demanding childhood, the expectations on her placed by her family and the public, her tireless advocacy for the poorest and most disadvantaged in the halls of government, and the darkening course of American history. But on her legacy, Chisholm had one priority: "I'd like them to say that Shirley Chisholm had guts. That's how I'd like to be remembered."

A staunch proponent of breaking down racial and gender barriers, Shirley Chisholm had the esteemed privilege of being a pioneer in many aspects of her life. She was the first African American woman from Brooklyn elected to the New York State legislature and the first African American woman elected to Congress in 1968. She also made a run for the Democratic Party nomination for president in 1972. Focusing on Chisholm's lifelong advocacy for fair treatment, access to education, and equal pay for all American minority groups, this book explores the life of a remarkable woman in the context of twentieth-century urban America and the tremendous social upheaval that occurred after World War II. About the Lives of American Women series: Selected and edited by renowned women's historian Carol Berkin, these brief biographies are designed for use in undergraduate courses. Rather than a comprehensive approach, each biography focuses instead on a particular aspect of a woman's life that is emblematic of her time, or which made her a pivotal figure in the era. The emphasis is on a 'good read', featuring accessible writing and compelling narratives, without sacrificing sound scholarship and academic integrity. Primary sources at the end of each biography reveal the subject's perspective in her own words. Study questions and an annotated bibliography support the student reader.