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Shirley Chisholm 1924 - 2005

Shirley Anita (St. Hill) Chisholm of Ormond Beach, Volusia County, FL was born on November 30, 1924 in Kings County, New York United States, and died at age 80 years old on January 1, 2005 in Ormond Beach, Volusia County, FL. Shirley Chisholm was buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery 1411 Delaware Ave, in Buffalo, Erie County, NY.

Shirley Anita (St. Hill) Chisholm

Ormond Beach, Volusia County, FL 32174

November 30, 1924

Kings County, New York, United States

January 1, 2005

Ormond Beach, Volusia County, Florida, United States

Female

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Shirley Chisholm Shirley Chisholm (1924 - 2005)

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Shirley Anita (St. Hill) Chisholm's History: 1924 - 2005

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Introduction

Shirley Anita St Hill was born on October 30, 1924 in Brooklyn, NY to parents Ruby and Charles St. Hill. She was of Barbadian and Guyanese descent, with both of her parents being immigrants from the Caribbean. SHe grew up in a predominantly African American neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York and attended Brooklyn College, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology in 1946. She later pursued a Master's degree in elementary education at Columbia University, completing her studies in 1952. She was an American politician, educator, and author. In 1968, she became the first black woman elected to the United States Congress, representing New York's 12th congressional district for seven terms from 1969 to 1983. In the 1972 United States presidential election, she became the first black candidate for a major party's nomination for President of the United States, and the first woman to run for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination. In 2015, Chisholm was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
11/30

1924

Birthday

November 30, 1924

Birthdate

Kings County, New York United States

Birthplace

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Ethnicity & Family History

Shirley Chisholm's ethnicity is Afro-Caribbean. She was of Barbadian and Guyanese descent, with both of her parents being immigrants from the Caribbean. Her father Charles Christopher St. Hill was born in 1901 in Guyana and immigrated to the US in 1920 where he lived in New York settling in Brooklyn. He worked in the textile industry. Her mother Ruby Leotta Seale was born on August 31, 1901 at the Christ Church in Barbados. She immigrated to the US arriving in New York in 1921 and resided in Brooklyn. She met and married Charles in New York City and together the couple were parents to five children. Ruby passed away on June 17, 1979. The family faced financial struggles, but Chisholm's parents instilled in her a strong sense of pride and determination. This upbringing influenced her later commitment to civil rights, social justice, and breaking barriers in American politics.
Nationality & Locations

Shirley Chisholm was born on November 30, 1924, in Brooklyn, New York. She spent a significant part of her life in Brooklyn, where she grew up and began her political career. After her political career, she continued to reside in New York until her passing on January 1, 2005.
Early Life & Education

Chisholm grew up in a predominantly African American neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. Chisholm attended Brooklyn College, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology in 1946. She later pursued a Master's degree in elementary education at Columbia University, completing her studies in 1952. In 1974, Chisholm delivered the commencement address at Aquinas College, where she received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree. The following year, in 1975, Smith College also conferred upon her an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree. In 1996, Stetson University in Deland, Florida, recognized her contributions by awarding her an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree.
Professional Career

Before entering politics, Shirley Chisholm worked as a teacher and later became the director of a childcare center. Her political career began when she was elected to the New York State Assembly in 1964, where she served until 1968. In 1968, she made history by becoming the first African American woman elected to the United States Congress, representing New York's 12th congressional district. Chisholm served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1969 to 1983. During her time in Congress, she focused on issues of civil rights, gender equality, and social justice. In 1972, she made a groundbreaking run for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination, becoming the first black major-party candidate and the first woman to seek the presidency. After leaving Congress, Chisholm continued her advocacy work and taught at Mount Holyoke College. She remained active in various social and political causes until her passing in 2005.
Personal Life & Family

Shirley was married to Conrad Quintin Chisholm (1916-2009) whom she met while studying at Brooklyn College. They were married in 1949 and remained together until Conrad's death in 1986. The couple did not have any children together. In addition to her political and professional achievements, Chisholm was known for her strong and charismatic personality. She faced both racial and gender-based discrimination throughout her career but remained resilient in her commitment to social justice and equality. After her political career, Chisholm continued to be involved in various activities, including teaching and public speaking.
01/1

2005

Death

January 1, 2005

Death date

Chisholm died on January 1, 2005, in Ormond Beach near Daytona Beach, after suffering several strokes. She is buried in the Oakwood Mausoleum at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo, where the legend inscribed on her vault reads:

Cause of death

Ormond Beach, Volusia County, Florida United States
Death location

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Gravesite & Burial

mm/dd/yyyy
Funeral date
Forest Lawn Cemetery 1411 Delaware Ave, in Buffalo, Erie County, New York 14209, United States
Burial location
Obituary

Later life and death Shirley Chisholm Memorial Service, Congressional Black Caucus, February 15, 2005, C-SPAN After leaving Congress, Chisholm made her home in suburban Williamsville, New York. She resumed her career in education, being named to the Purington Chair at the all-women Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. As such she was not a member of any particular department, but would be able to teach classes in a variety of areas; those previously holding the position included W. H. Auden, Bertrand Russell, and Arna Bontemps. In 1984 the Honorable Shirley Chisholm along with Dr.C. Delores Tucker co-founded The National Congress of Black Women During those years, she continued to give speeches at colleges, by her own count visiting over 150 campuses since becoming nationally known. She told students to avoid polarization and intolerance: "If you don't accept others who are different, it means nothing that you've learned calculus." Continuing to be involved politically, she traveled to visit different minority groups and urging them to become a strong force at the local level.In 1984 and 1988, she campaigned for Jesse Jackson for the presidential elections.In 1990, Chisholm, along with 15 other black women and men, formed the African-American Women for Reproductive Freedom. Chisholm retired to Florida in 1991. In 1993, President Bill Clinton nominated her to be United States Ambassador to Jamaica, but she could not serve due to poor health and the nomination was withdrawn. In the same year she was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame. Chisholm died on January 1, 2005, in Ormond Beach near Daytona Beach, after suffering several strokes. She is buried in the Oakwood Mausoleum at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo, where the legend inscribed on her vault reads: "Unbought and Unbossed". Legacy In 1984, The National Black Women's Political Caucus was established during the vice presidential campaign of Geraldine Ferraro. African American women from various political organizations convened to set forth a political agenda emphasizing the needs of women of African descent. Chisholm was chosen as its first chair. In February 2005, Shirley Chisholm '72: Unbought and Unbossed, a documentary film,[68] aired on U.S public television. It chronicled Chisholm's 1972 bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. It was directed and produced by independent African-American filmmaker Shola Lynch. The film was featured at the Sundance Film Festival in 2004. On April 9, 2006, the film was announced as a winner of a Peabody Award.[69] In 2014, the first adult biography of Chisholm was published, Shirley Chisholm: Catalyst for Change, by Brooklyn College history professor Barbara Winslow, who was also the founder and first director of the Shirley Chisholm Project. Until then, only several juvenile biographies had appeared. Chisholm's speech "For the Equal Rights Amendment", given in 1970, is listed as No. 91 in American Rhetoric's Top 100 Speeches of the 20th Century (listed by rank). Monuments The Shirley Chisholm Project on Brooklyn Women's Activism (formerly known as the Shirley Chisholm Center for Research) exists at Brooklyn College to promote research projects and programs on women and to preserve the legacy of Chisholm. The Chisholm Project also houses an archive as part of the Chisholm Papers in the college library Special Collections.

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