Shirley Chisholm - Educator, Congresswoman and Activitist

Shirley Chisholm (1924-2005) earned her master's degree in education from Columbia University. She later became an expert on early childhood education, working as a consultant to New York City's Bureau of Child Welfare, from 1959-1964.
But in 1968 Shirley stepped into the history books. She became the first woman to win a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. And her history making didn't stop there. In 1972 Shirley Chisholm became the first African American and first woman to declare her candidacy for the office of President of the United States!
Shirley retired from Congress in 1983, however, she stayed active in her community. She became an author, she taught at the Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, she spoke out against the Vietnam War and she advocated for the needs of the poor.