Unbought and unbossed, Shirley Chisholm had little support from her Black colleagues in the Democratic Party. Because of this, her presidential campaign was anything but normal. Here are three surprising facts about her historic bid for president.
The legendary Redd Foxx made Chisholm’s candidacy the butt of a joke, telling Jet magazine, “I sure as hell prefer Raquel Welch to Shirley Chisholm.” Chisholm couldn’t count on support from the Democratic establishment either.
Jesse Jackson, John Conyers, and Julian Bond Jr. supported George McGovern over Chisholm. But after Alabama governor George Wallace, an infamous white supremacist, was shot and had to end his own presidential campaign, he urged his supporters to back Chisholm.
Lastly, Chisholm’s campaign was never just about winning. She said, “I want to be remembered as a catalyst for change in America.” With her campaign, she accomplished that, proving that putting the people first is a necessary winning strategy.
While others supported white candidates out of self-interest, she proudly stood 10-toes down for Black people. “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, “ she famously said, “bring a folding chair."