Honorable Shirley Chisholm

On December 12, 2024, H.R.1088 and S.B. 4243 posthumous presented the Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of Shirley Chisholm, in recognition of her activism, independence, and groundbreaking achievements in politics, including election as the first Black woman in Congress.

Of her legacy, Shirley Chisholm said, “I want to be remembered as a woman … who dared to be a catalyst of change.” Chisholm was also the first woman and Black person to seek the nomination for president of the United States from one of the two major political parties (1972).