A Special ‘Thank You’ to the Buffalo Presidential Center for Inviting Me to Speak
On Thursday, October 17, 2024, I spoke at the Buffalo Presidential Center on the Life and Legacy of the Honorable Shirley A. Chisholm, the first Black woman to run for President in 1972.
The Presidential Center is located on the 2nd floor of the Central Library in downtown Buffalo. I was honored to be selected to speak on this most important topic. The members of this organization did a remarkable exhibit on Shirley Chisholm with pictures, newspaper clippings, and books on her life.
I was greeted by the President Shane Stephenson and the Treasurer Scott W. Gehl. It was nice to see Mr. Gehl again. He was the former Director of HOME, Housing Opportunities Made Equal. I would also like to thank Frank E. Merriweather, III for coming to cover the event. Mr. Merriweather is the Public Relations Director of the Criterion newspaper. A special thanks to filmmaker Sandy White for recording my presentation.
In doing the research for my talk, I read two books written by Shirley Chisholm. They are entitled: “Unbought and Unbossed” and “The Good Fight.” I also watched the film called Chisholm “72” Unbought and Unbossed. This film is in her own words.
I have done many articles on her life. In doing this extensive research, I have learned some new things about her that I shared with the members of the Buffalo Presidential Center. The following are some things that I highlighted in my lecture:
From the very beginning of the Chisholm campaign for President, she faced racism and sexism. She was not embraced by Democrats or Republicans. She made it perfectly clear in her books that Black men also rejected her, especially in Florida and North Carolina and other parts of the country. They criticized her at every turn. However, she met the opposition head on.
This is what she said in her book: “Black men must step forward. They think that I am trying to take power from them. At present, our country needs women’s leadership and determination perhaps now than any other time in history. We must reject not only the stereotypes that others hold of us, but also the stereotypes we hold of ourselves.” She went on to say that, “Women in this country must become revolutionaries. We must refuse to accept the old and the traditional roles and stereotypes. We must replace the old, negative thoughts about our femininity with positive thoughts and positive action. We must prepare ourselves educationally, economically, and psychologically in order to be able to face the challenges that society will immediately impose upon us.”
When she stood on the steps of a Baptist Church in her Congressional District in Brooklyn, New York on January 25, 1972 she said that, “I am not the candidate of Black America, although I am Black and Proud. I am not the candidate of the women’s movement of this country, although I am a woman and equally proud of that. I am the candidate of the people of America and my presence before you symbolizes a new era in America.”
Shirley stood her ground. She communicated with all people regardless of race and gender. She ran for President with dignity and character. Despite the opposition of Black males, she moved ahead. The Democratic political establishment ignored her. Her husband was fully supportive. Her campaign was underfunded. Security was a concern. There were three confirmed threats against her life. She did not have Secret Service protection. She became the first woman to appear in a Presidential debate. She had difficulty gaining ballot access. But courageously she continued her campaign.
Shirley Chisholm lived in Western New York along with her husband Arthur Hardwick, a businessman and politician. She taught at Buffalo State College and over 150 colleges around the country. They made their home in Williamsville, New York. When her husband was seriously injured in a car accident, she moved to Florida. She campaigned for Rev. Jesse Jackson in 1984 and in 1988. She called for an Equal Rights Amendment. She spoke out about the negative treatment of Haitian refugees. She spoke against the Viet Nam War. She campaigned for Jesse Jackson when he ran for President. At the end of her career, President Barack Obama nominated her to become the Ambassador of Jamaica. However, due to a series of strokes she could not accept.
She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom post-humously. She was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame. She died on January 1, 2005 in Ormond Beach, Florida. She is buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo. The words on her vault include the following: “Unbought and Unbossed: Honorable Shirley Chisholm – Hardwick, September 30, 1924 – January 1, 2005.
Representative Hakeem Jeffries and Congressman James Clyburn visited her gravesite to pay tribute to her while they were in Buffalo. Her Equal Rights Amendment speech that she gave in 1970 is listed as one of the top 100 speeches in America of the 20th Century. Her work and determination to crack the ceiling of American politics, made it possible for Vice-President Kamala Harris to run for President of the United States!!