Installation view of “Changing the Face of Democracy: Shirley Chisholm at 100,” Museum of the City of New York, New York, N.Y. (June 24, 2024-July 20, 2025). | Courtesy MCNY
A POLITICAL TRAILBLAZER and historic Presidential candidate from New York, Shirley Chisholm (1924-2005) ‘changed the face of democracy,’ gave a voice to ordinary citizens, and fought for issues that continue to resonate. Celebrating the centennial of her birth, “Changing the Face of Democracy: Shirley Chisholm at 100” at the Museum of the City of New York is the first major museum exhibition dedicated to the political legend.
The exhibition is timely. Chisholm’s audacious ambitions half a century ago paved the way for contemporary groundbreakers such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Sen. Hillary Clinton (who ran for President in 2008 and 2016), Vice President Kamala Harris, and President Barack Obama. Her storied narrative is a stark reminder of what’s at stake in the November Presidential election: democratic ideals and the future of American democracy.
With this exhibition, “we aim to explore Shirley Chisholm’s endeavors and her enduring influence. From championing causes like reproductive justice, tackling food insecurity, to advocating for voting rights, the exhibition examines how this singular figure emerged from diverse New York networks to serve as a catalyst for change. These networks illuminate Chisholm’s impact on the past, present, and future of New York City,” Co-curator Sarah Seidman, Puffin Foundation Curator of Social Activism, said in a statement.
Shirley Chisholm ‘changed the face of democracy,’ gave a voice to ordinary citizens, and fought for issues that continue to resonate, including migrant rights, worker rights, reproductive justice, food security, and race and gender equality.
BORN IN BROOKLYN, N.Y., Chisholm’s parents were immigrants from Guyana and Barbados. She was a college-educated activist with a professional background in day care, early childhood education, and child welfare issues, when she sought elective office as a Democrat.
Chisholm was elected to the New York State Legislature in 1964, and then sought a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1968. In Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, she was surrounded by Congressional districts with white representation. Her run was prompted by the formation of a new district in her neighborhood, the result of court-ordered redistricting after the Supreme Court recognized racial gerrymandering.
On a mission with scant funding, Chisholm canvased block-by-block spreading the word about her candidacy for New York’s 12th Congressional district. She defeated three political veterans in the primary and faced civil rights leader James Farmer in the general election. The co-founder and former national chairman of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) was a Liberal Party candidate drawing Republican support. He also had more funding and name-recognition than Chisholm.
It was a tough campaign. Chisholm had a health scare and endured sexist vitriol from Farmer, who publicly questioned the wisdom of a woman representing the district. She faced his rhetoric head on and sought the support of women voters. On Election Day, Chisholm soundly defeated Farmer. She won 67 percent of the vote, becoming the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress.
As the description of her 1970 autobiography “Unbought and Unbossed” notes, she won “against the odds of her race and sex, and against all the ground rules of the political game.” The title of Chisholm’s autobiography came from her famous campaign slogan. “Unbought and Unbossed” signaled her intent to prioritize constituents and their issues and not be swayed by donor influence or party dictates.
THOMAS J. O’HALLORAN, From left, Shirley Chisholm announcing her candidacy for the Presidential nomination, with Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), Rep. Parren Mitchell (D-Md.), and Rep. Bella Abzug (D-N.Y.), Jan. 25, 1972 (photo, reproduction). | Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Washington, D.C., LC-U9-25384-7B
A few years later, she set her sights on the highest office in the land, becoming the first woman and first Black person to seek the Presidential nomination of a major political party (1972). She didn’t win the White House, but she made a profound statement. “Whether you got nine percent or one percent of the national vote, Shirley’s candidacy said, ‘I am not demanding to get in, I’m asserting my right to be here, and I am in.’ That’s powerful,” said Rep. Ron Dellums (D-Calif.) in the documentary “Chisholm ’72: Unbought & Unbossed” (2004).
Chisholm continued to serve in the House for seven terms, from 1969 until 1983. In the decades since, she has became an increasingly iconic inspiration to new generations of activists and those seeking public office.
THE EXHIBITION explores Chisholm’s life and work through the lens of New York politics, Black women’s activism, Presidential campaign history, and her Caribbean heritage. Presented at MCNY in collaboration with the Shirley Chisholm Project on Brooklyn Women’s Activism at Brooklyn College, the show features art, photographs, video, and a wide variety of historical documents and artifacts.
Highlights include 1970s paintings by Faith Ringgold featuring quotes by Chisholm; a portrait of Chisholm by photographer Richard Avedon; mementos from her early life; campaign memorabilia; a dress worn by Regina King in the Netflix documentary “Shirley” (2024); and oral histories from the likes of Gloria Steinem, David Dinkins, Sonia Sanchez, and Basil Patterson.
“The inclusion of the Chisholm Project’s oral histories in the exhibition serves as poignant reminders of Chisholm’s contemporary relevance, underscoring not only her groundbreaking achievements but also the ongoing resonance of her legacy globally,” Co-curator Zinga A. Fraser, assistant professor and director of the Shirley Chisholm Project at Brooklyn College, said in a statement. “Showcasing Chisholm as a figure whose influence transcends generations, Changing the Face of Democracy hopes to inspire a new wave of political engagement, reaffirming the enduring relevance of her contributions.” CT
“Changing the Face of Democracy: Shirley Chisholm at 100” is on view at the Museum of the City of New York, from June 24, 2024-July 20, 2025
WATCH Rep. Shirley Chisholm (D-N.Y.) makes a controversial endorsement July 22, 1969, declaring her support for incumbent New York Mayor John Lindsay, a Republican who lost his party’s primary, and won re-election as the Liberal party candidate (brief clip) | Courtesy MCNY
LISTEN to Shirley Chisholm’s 1968 victory speech after being elected to Congress, the U.S. House of Representatives (brief audio clip, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, NYPL | Courtesy MCNY
Installation view of “Changing the Face of Democracy: Shirley Chisholm at 100,” Museum of the City of New York, New York, N.Y. (June 24, 2024-July 20, 2025). | Courtesy MCNY
THOMAS J. O’HALLORAN, Shirley Chisholm speaking at the Democratic National Convention in Miami Beach, Fla., July 12, 1972 (photo, reproduction). | Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Washington, D.C., LC-DIG-ppmsca-55930
JO FREEMAN, Supporters cheer at the Democratic Convention as Shirley Chisholm addresses the crowd, 1972 (photo, reproduction). | Courtesy Jo Freeman
Installation view of “Changing the Face of Democracy: Shirley Chisholm at 100,” Museum of the City of New York, New York, N.Y. (June 24, 2024-July 20, 2025). | Courtesy MCNY
UNIDENTIFIED PHOTOGRAPHER, Shirley St. Hill, Graduation photo, Girls’ High School, Brooklyn, N.Y., 1942 (photo, reproduction). | Private Collection, Courtesy MCNY
UNIDENTIFIED PHOTOGRAPHER, Shirley Chisholm at her wedding (to her first husband, Conrad Chisholm, not shown) with her parents, Ruby and Charles St. Hill, 1949 (photo, reproduction). | Private Collection, Courtesy MCNY
UNIDENTIFIED PHOTOGRAPHER, Voter registration, 1963 (photo, reproduction). | Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries
“What the Unity Democratic Club Has Done,” 1964 (flyer, reproduction). | Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library, Courtesy Estate of Thomas Russell Jones
HAGSTROM COMPANY, Homeowners’ Loan Corporation redlining map of Brooklyn, 1938 (map, reproduction). | National Archives, 720357
Installation view of “Changing the Face of Democracy: Shirley Chisholm at 100,” Museum of the City of New York, New York, N.Y. (June 24, 2024-July 20, 2025). | Courtesy MCNY
N.G. SLATER CORPORATION, “Bring U.S. Together: Vote Chisholm ’72 – Unbought and Unbossed,” 1972 (poster, ink on paper). | Courtesy Schlesinger Library, Harvard University
BETTYE LANE, Shirley Chisholm speaking at a pro-abortion rally in New York’s Union Square in Manhattan, 1972 (photo, reproduction). | Bettye Lane Photos, Courtesy MCNY
Installation view of “Changing the Face of Democracy: Shirley Chisholm at 100,” Museum of the City of New York, New York, N.Y. (June 24, 2024-July 20, 2025). | Courtesy MCNY
Installation view of “Changing the Face of Democracy: Shirley Chisholm at 100,” Museum of the City of New York, New York, N.Y. (June 24, 2024-July 20, 2025). | Courtesy MCNY
DICK DE MARISCO, From left, Shirley Chisholm and Coretta Scott King join Eleanor Holmes Norton as she is sworn-in by Mayor Beame as the Commissioner of the City Commission on Human Rights, March 18, 1974 (photo, reproduction). | Courtesy Municipal Archives, City of New York
UNIDENTIFIED PHOTOGRAPHER, President Gerald R. Ford signs a proclamation declaring Aug. 26 Women’s Equality Day with Betty Ford and Reps. Burke, Jordan, Holtzman, Holt, Sullivan, Collins, Boggs, Heckler, Abzug, Chisholm (far right in white dress), Grasso, Schroeder, Mink; Armstrong, Cabinet Room, White House, Washington, D.C., Aug. 22, 1974 (photo, reproduction). | Courtesy National Archives, 12082600
A. DEV O’NEILL AND K. JEWELL, Rep. Shirley Chisholm (D-N.Y.) on the Congressional Rules Committee, 1970s (photo, reproduction). | Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries
SHERMAN BECK, Portrait of Shirley Chisholm, 2022 (acrylic on canvas). | Courtesy the artist and Kavi Gupta
Installation view of “Changing the Face of Democracy: Shirley Chisholm at 100,” Museum of the City of New York, New York, N.Y. (June 24, 2024-July 20, 2025). | Courtesy MCNY
Installation view of “Changing the Face of Democracy: Shirley Chisholm at 100,” Museum of the City of New York, New York, N.Y. (June 24, 2024-July 20, 2025). | Courtesy MCNY
FIND MORE “Chisholm ’72: Unbought and Unbossed,” a 2004 documentary by Shola Lynch brought Shirley Chisholm to the attention of new generations
FIND MORE In 2009, a portrait of Shirley Chisholm painted by Kadir Nelson was added to the Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives
WATCH Shirley Chisholm call for a coalition of Blacks and women in her “America has gone to sleep” speech at Greenfield High School in Greenfield, Mass., in 1983, the year she retired from Congress
BOOKSHELF
Shirley Chisholm was an educator, politician, and an author. Her autobiography “Shirley Chisholm: Unbought and Unbossed” was published in 1970, followed by “The Good Fight” in 1973. “A Seat at the Table: The Life and Times of Shirley Chisholm” was published earlier this year. Other titles include, “Shirley Chisholm: Champion of Black Feminist Power Politics” and “Shirley Chisholm: The Last Interview: and Other Conversations.” Coming soon, “Shirley Chisholm in Her Own Words: Speeches and Writings” is expected in October. A number of children’s books help introduce young people to Chisholm. There’s a board book, “Who Was Shirley Chisholm?: A Who Was? Board Book.” Picture books include, “Loud and Proud: The Life of Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm” and “Shirley Chisholm Dared: The Story of the First Black Woman in Congress.” Also consider, “Not Done Yet: Shirley Chisholm’s Fight for Change” and “Shirley Chisholm Is a Verb.” For readers 5-10 years old, consider “Who Was Shirley Chisholm?” Several recent volumes document the work of artist Faith Ringgold, including “Faith Ringgold: American People,” which accompanied the artist’s recent traveling museum exhibition. “Faith Ringgold: Politics / Power” explores the intersection of art and activism in her work between 1967 and 1981.
