[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 30 (Thursday, February 15, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E155-E156]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




VIRGINIA'S FOURTH DISTRICT BLACK HISTORY MONTH ESSAY CONTEST--1ST PLACE 
                  MIDDLE SCHOOL WINNER, FRANCES WIDMER

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. JENNIFER L. McCLELLAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 15, 2024

  Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following 
essay by 1st Place Middle Schooler, Frances Widmer:

       Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm did many amazing things to 
     pave the way for Black women in politics during her life and 
     legacy. Her childhood, experience in national politics, and 
     tenure as a congresswomen all speak to the remarkable legacy 
     she left behind. She paved the way for Black women to lead in 
     politics by pushing against the odds, by running against 
     white men, and by challenging the political system.
       Shirley Chisholm was born in Brooklyn, New York, but when 
     she was three she moved to her system parents' homeland of 
     Barbados to live with her grandmother. She was an intelligent 
     girl and excelled in school and was ``bossy'' to all her 
     older cousins. When she was eight years old, she moved back 
     to Brooklyn with her parents. There she would listen into the 
     political conversations her dad would hold and she became 
     more and more interested in politics. She continued in her 
     education and went to Brooklyn College to study Spanish and 
     sociology, but she was not allowed to study political science 
     because she was a Black woman.
       As Shirley became more interested in politics, she attended 
     political meetings and joined the 17th Assembly District 
     Democratic Club. In her club, she realized that they did more 
     chores, like writing thank you cards and holding fundraisers, 
     than helping their community. Shirley Chisholm also began to 
     realize that the congressmen were making promises they could 
     not keep. Wanting to change all of these things, she got Into 
     action.
       In 1968 Shirley Chisholm was the first Black woman to be 
     elected to congress. For her to get to this point, she had to 
     face lots of opposition both because of her race and

[[Page E156]]

     gender. Despite that, she knew that she had what it took to 
     govern our country. She won by over 21,000 votes, but not 
     everyone applauded Shirley's win. No one in the congress 
     looked like her. In Congress, her first assignment was a 
     position in the Agricultural Committee in America, but she 
     was disappointed. She then used her position to help feed the 
     hungry including people in Brooklyn, her hometown, Shirley 
     Chisholm said, ``You don't make progress by standing on the 
     sidelines, whimpering and complaining. You make progress by 
     implementing ideas.'' She kept trying and succeeded in her 
     goal.
       In 1972 Shirley Chisholm ran to become the Democratic 
     candidate for the Presidential election. She thought that the 
     U.S. government should reflect America. Though her bid was 
     unsuccessful, she broke the barrier for Black women in 
     politics. Chisholm was the first African American to make a 
     bid for a major party's candidate. She famously said, ``If 
     you don't have a seat at the table, bring in a folding 
     chair.'' She made an opportunity for herself and for others 
     to serve in government.
       Shirley Chisholm had many firsts: She was the first Black 
     woman to be in Congress and the first Black woman to make a 
     bid for president in a major party. By doing this. she paved 
     the way for Black women to serve in government. Rep. Lee 
     said, ``Ms. Chisholm's mission to include women, children, 
     African-Americans, and other minorities in public policy 
     opened the door to a whole new debate lacking in Congress 
     during that time. She is a remarkable woman who paved the way 
     for many of us . . .

                          ____________________