Shirley Chisholm
Shirley Chisholm, first African American woman to be elected to Congress was born in Brooklyn on November 30, 1924. She is one of the most profound and admired women that challenged society not only as a woman, but a woman of color. She made many contributions to the women's movement and society.
Shirley began her interest in politics in the 1940's. She attended political clubs where community members met with the assemblyman and committee to discuss problems with the city. Shirley began to notice the differences in which the way white people and black people were treated. The room was divided by the color of skin. Blacks on one side and whites on the other. At the end of each meeting there was time for questions by the audience though many times people would not ask anything. However, Shirley was not pleased at the way the council was treating the community and questioned the members. She asked why the white neighborhoods had regular trash pick up where as the black neighborhoods did not. Her questions were not popular with the committee, but she continued to stand up for the indifferences found in the segregated communities (Chisholm 30).
For the time period that Shirley was growing up in, it is remarkable that she had the courage to stand up for her beliefs. Strong minded and determined she challenged society. She was not able to stay quiet and keep her thoughts to herself; instead she spoke her mind. It seemed the harder society tried to suppress, the stronger she became. Perhaps being a woman of color she felt compelled to voice her opinion (Yuval-Davis 77). She stated that "My goal was to shake things up a little"(Chisholm 161). Not only did she shake things up, she helped to pave a ...
... middle of paper ...
...es and legalizing abortion. Being that she was a woman and black, she risked her reputation and status as she spoke about her beliefs in which she thought would better our society. She has definitely proved herself to be a leader in not only her community but also for the American people. Her ideas have inspired many to stand up for better treatment and equality.
Bibliography:
Works Cited
Chisholm, Shirley. The Good Fight. New York: Harper and Row, 1973.
Chisholm, Shirley. Unbought and Unbossed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1970.
Gitenstein, Judy. Herstory. Ed. Ruth Ashby and Deborah Gore Ohrn. New York: Viking, 1995.
Metcalf, George R. Up From Within. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1971.
Yuval-Davis. Who's Afraid of Feminism? Ed. Ann Oakley and Juliet Mitchell. New York: The New Press, 1997.
...ing to survive. Their militant demeanor and strong willed nature foreshadowed the coming modern civil rights movement. They realized the importance of education and utilized it to change the climate of their time. I think these to women defined the term "ordinary to extraordinary". They had both broke through color and gender barriers and earned the respect and admiration of colleagues, politicians the African American people. Who knows what would have happened if these two brave women did not stand up and accomplish what they had done. Would "White Supremacy" prevail in a post WWII society. It is hard to quantify the contribution of these women to the civil rights movement but I think it is safe to say that we were fortunate as a nation to have these great crusaders, as well as many other notable figures, to educate us and force us to see change in the United States.
...women, Jews, and Negroes were just some of the many things she believed in and worked for. With more equality between the different kinds of people, there can be more peace and happiness in the world without all the discrimination. Her accomplishments brought about increased unity in people, which was what she did to benefit mankind. All of her experiences and determination motivated her to do what she did, and it was a gift to humanity.
Sojourner set out on her mission, to educate all people on the subject of slavery, and became a very powerful speaker. She became an influential speaker for women’s rights, as well for the abolishment of slavery all over the country. She became famous for being the first black women to speak out against slavery.
paved the way for religious freedom. She was a great leader in the cause for
Shirley Chisholm career impacts on our understanding of civil rights by it is an ongoing battle that individuals have to fight for. Her childhood is one of the reasons that ultimately pushed her in the direction of politics and her influence in the civil rights movement. Chisolm parents were from the Caribbean island of Barbados and she was born in Brooklyn, she was sent back to live in Barbados because her parents were less fortunate with her sisters to live with her grandmother and aunt. Her grandmother and aunt instilled racial pride in Chisolm. While she was living in Barbados in a rural area she developed a sense of pride because she was exposed to other individuals of color that were in political power and were in administrative powers,
According to Max Hunter, (2011) "in 1954, Clark began teaching at the Highlander Folk School in Monteagle, Tennessee where she developed her Citizenship Pedagogy" (para. 2). The pedagogy that Hunter referenced developed because of the racism, sexism, and discrimination that Clark experienced while teaching in the public school system in and around Charleston South Carolina. She along with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) fought for black teachers to receive pay equal to their white counterparts ("AdultEducation," n.d.). She also fought and won the right for blacks to become principals in the Charleston school district (Wikipedia, 2011, para. 5). According to Lewis (2003), the school board fired Clark after teaching for 40 years, because she refused to give up her membership to the NAACP (Brief Portrait section, para. 4). She later, served as the first African American member on that same board (Sears, 2000, para. 19). All of these experiences shaped her work as an activist, feminist and advocate for civil rights.
Shaw, Susan M., and Janet Lee. Women's voices, feminist visions: classic and contemporary readings. 4th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. Print.
Lucy Stone is known today for many things, among them being the first woman to graduate from college in Massachusetts, one of the first women not to change their name after marriage, the first woman to appeal before a body of lawmakers and forming The Woman’s Journal and The NWSA. Women all over the United States owe much to the work of Lucy Stone. In the history of Woman’s Rights, few can activists can compare with the determination and success of Lucy Stone. While many remember Susan B. Anthony for being the most active fighter for Woman’s Rights, perhaps Lucy is even more important. With out her it would have taken much longer to achieve Woman's Votes.
Nussbaum, Felicity. “Risky Business: Feminism Now and Then.” Tulsa Studies in Women’s Literature 26.1 (Spring 2007): 81-86. JSTOR. Web. 11 Mar. 2014.
Both women were extremely strong in their belief that they needed to be the change for African-Americans. Whether this change was in the South, or across the entire United States, these women both wanted things to be different. They used their backgrounds and experiences to be the change, and spread the word about making a difference in society. Their leadership roles might have been different in the African-American spectrum, but both women were greatly respected during their time at the top. They grew from their experiences, and used them to their advantage when being the change they wanted to see.
Her parents nurtured the background of this crusader to make her a great spokesperson. She also held positions throughout her life that allowed her to learn a lot about lynching. She was fueled by her natural drive to search for the truth.
Moran, Mickey. “1930s, America- Feminist Void?” Loyno. Department of History, 1988. Web. 11 May. 2014.
Mary McLeod Bethune was born on July 10, 1875 in Mayesville, South Carolina to two former slaves. She was a dynamic figure and a tireless worker who devoted her life to the betterment of the lives of others, specifically the lives of blacks, women, and children during the Progressive Era. She was one of the few women in the world that served as a college president. Upon her death, columnist Louis E. Martin said, "She gave out faith and hope as if they were pills and she some sort of doctor."
Abrams 1604 - 1606. Peterson, Linda H. "What Is Feminist Criticism?" Wuthering Heights. Ed. Linda H. Peterson, Ph.D. Boston: Bedford Books, 1992.
As women, those of us who identify as feminists have rebelled against the status quo and redefined what it means to be a strong and powerful woman. But at what cost do these advances come with?... ... middle of paper ... ... Retrieved April 12, 2014, from http://www.feminist.com/resources/artspeech/genwom/whatisfem.htm Bidgood, J. 2014, April 8 -.