December 17, 2024
President Biden signed the bipartisan legislation on Dec. 12 to honor the first Black congresswoman.
Shirley Chisholm will be honored with the highest award in Congress through the Congressional Gold Medal Act.
President Biden signed the bipartisan legislation on Dec. 12 to honor the first Black congresswoman, Chisholm, who died in 2005. She was also the first Black woman to run for President.
The gold medal will be curated under the U.S. Treasury Department. The original medal will be minted with Chisholm’s image, name, and “suitable” emblems and inscriptions, according to NBC News.
Ahead of its presidential sign-off, Vice President Harris signed the measure alongside the bill’s sponsors, Sen. Laphonza Butler, D-Calif., and Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif.
The moment was especially sentimental for Lee, who Chisholm mentored through her collegiate years and her start as a politician.
“It was an honor to stand next to Vice President Kamala Harris as she signed this historic bill,” Lee said in a statement obtained by the news outlet. “I see no one more deserving than Shirley Chisholm,” Lee added. “It is critical for the next generation of leaders to see the first Black woman elected to Congress get the recognition she deserves.”
Upon its unveiling, it will find its home at the Smithsonian Institution and be displayed at events for Chisholm. For those wanting to collect a replica, the duplicate versions will be available to the public.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1924, Chisholm earned her first seat in the New York State Assembly in 1964.
She later founded NOW, the National Organization for Women. Her resilience and strength earned her the nickname “Fighting Shirley.” With her campaign slogan “Unbossed and Unbothered,” she won her congressional seat in 1968, representing New York’s 12th district.
During her seven-term congressional tenure, she introduced 50 pieces of legislation. She advocated for immigration reform and social programs for families, including establishing the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, also known as WIC.
However, she broke another glass ceiling for Black women and people in America with her campaign for president in 1972. Although she did not secure the nomination for a major party, her run marked new territory for the diverse leadership of the nation.
For her storied legacy, modern-day lawmakers on both sides voted to bestow the honor. The initiative and its passing coincide with her birth year when Chisholm would have been 100 years old. A biopic on her life, Shirley, starring Regina King, was also released in March of this year.
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