John Sarbanes: “today I pay tribute to a devoted public servant and a former Member of the U.S. Congress, Shirley Chisholm. As a…”

“today I pay tribute to a devoted public servant and a former Member of the U.S. Congress, Shirley Chisholm. As a passionate activist, the first African-American woman to be elected to Congress, as well as the first African-American to seek the Presidential nomination from a major political party, Congresswoman Chisholm was a person of exceptional courage and profound impact. She will be missed. Before her election to the New York State Legislature in 1964, she was a dedicated educator in New York City, serving as a teacher as well as a daycare director. Elected to national office in 1969, Congresswoman Chisholm worked for both gender and racial equality. She was cofounder of New York NOW, the first chapter of the National Organization for Women. In 1969, she became a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus, and in 1971 she cofounded the National Women's Political Caucus. She continued her fight for minority representation when she sought the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in 1972. Although many criticized her campaign as a futile effort, she tenaciously continued her fight for the nomination and laid the groundwork for future minorities to run for the Presidency. In her own words, she "ran for the Presidency, despite hopeless odds, to demonstrate sheer will and refusal to accept the status quo." And indeed she was instrumental in opening the door for women and minorities to enter Presidential races in the future.”