Shirley Chisholm, Hidden Hero of History

A story of drive and determination! Shirley Chisholm, known as being a person for the people, was the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress. From her childhood in Brooklyn and Barbados to standing up for fairness, education and equal rights, Shirley never backed down from a challenge. She boldly ran for President to continue her quest to make life better for everyone in America. Through hard work, trailblazing ideas and a voice that couldn’t be ignored, Shirley Chisholm changed people’s lives and proved that there will always be something worth fighting for.

Go to the episode webpage: https://jonincharacter.com/shirley-chisholm/            

Get a free activity guide on Shirley Chisholm: https://dorktalesstorytime.aweb.page/ep106freePDF 

If you enjoyed this story about Shirley Chisholm, you may also enjoy learning about Wilma Rudolph, another hidden hero of history who also had drive and determination to cross the finish line and change the world: https://jonincharacter.com/wilma-rudolph/ 

CREDITS: Hidden Heroes of History is a Jonincharacter production. Today’s story was written by Rebecca Cunningham, edited and produced by Molly Murphy and performed by Jonathan Cormur. Sound recording and production by Jermaine Hamilton at Pacific Grove Soundworks.

Transcript

JONATHAN CORMUR: Hello Dork Squad. I'm Jonathan Cormur and you're listening to Dorktales Storytime, the podcast for kids and their pop culture-loving grown-ups, and this is an inspiring story about a hidden hero of history.

THEME SONG: It's a beautiful day for a story, adventure and glory, new friends and old ones too. It's an excellent day to get swept away in a tail, so let us regale you.

 JONATHAN
Ah, the perfect day to read my book in George Washington Carver Park. Yes, sirree. Nice, quiet, peaceful. Just me and my book.
 
 Redge runs by shouting.

 REDGE
Yoo-hoo! Hello, Jonathan!
 
 JONATHAN
Huh? Redge?
 
 REDGE
Goodbye, Jonathan!
 
 JONATHAN
Redge! Can you come back here? Where are you running to?

REDGE
(jogging in place) Your question shouldn’t be where I’m running to, it’s what I’m running for. 

 JONATHAN
Okay, what are you running for?
 
 REDGE
Office.
 
 JONATHAN
Eh, what?

REDGE
I’m running for office, Jonathan. The most important office in the land. President of the HOA.

JONATHAN
HOA?
 
 REDGE
The Hibernacula-Owner’s Association.

JONATHAN

A Hiber-whatsit?
 
 REDGE
A hiber-nacula. That’s where hedgehogs live! Keep up! Or don’t. I’m off to running! Ta-ta!
 
 JONATHAN
Wait, Redge!
 
 REDGE
What is it, Jonathan?

JONATHAN
Do you think running for President means actually physically running?
 
 REDGE
Who me? No? I’d never think anything as silly as that. I just … am getting my daily … jog in. Yeah that’s it.

JONATHAN
Oh, sure. That makes sense. Well, it’s exciting that you’ve decided to try and lead your HOA. That sounds like a big job! What made you decide to do this?

REDGE
Well, there’s a big problem, Jonathan. It’s what the French call - ROBBERY.
 
 JONATHAN
I give you one geography book about my world and now this. Redge, I don’t think that’s Fren–
 
 REDGE
Tulip Lulabelle Hoghash, the current President of the HOA, has established a ridiculous rule stating that each hedgehog is limited to two lawn gnomes per hog. It is absurd!

JONATHAN
Hmm … that sounds hard to deal with I guess. I know how you love your lawn gnomes.
 
 REDGE
YES, THEY’RE ADORABLE AND I NEED 14 OF THEM RIGHT NOW, JONATHAN.
 
 JONATHAN
Yes, I see. But how is that robbery?

REDGE
After countless warnings were stuck to my door about my so-called "excessive" lawn gnomes, which I, of course, ignored, they had the audacity to remove twelve of them from my lawn! Twelve! It’s outrageous! It’s unjust! And I simply won’t stand for it any longer!

JONATHAN
It sounds like a noble cause, Redge. You should be able to decorate your lawn how you like. All hedgehogs should. But running for office takes hard work and determination. You’ll need a campaign, speeches, and supporters.

REDGE
(Looking determined) I’m ready! I’ll be the voice of the hedgehogs. You’ll see.

JONATHAN
Ya know, your determination reminds me of someone … 

REDGE
It’s that time again?
 
 JONATHAN
Tick Tock. It’s time for … 

SFX: Trumpet sound for “Hidden Heroes of History.”

 REDGE
A hidden hero of history! Who are we learning about today?
 

JONATHAN
Shirley Chisholm! She was a remarkable leader and public servant who became the first Black woman elected to the United States Congress,  and later ran for president.

REDGE
She ran for president of the Hibernacula-Owners Association?
 
 JONATHAN
Close. She ran for President of the United States of America.
 
 REDGE
Doesn’t sound nearly as important but go on. Perhaps there is something I can learn from this hero.

JONATHAN
Shirley Anita St. Hill was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1924 to immigrant parents from Barbados. That’s an island nation in the Caribbean Sea.
 
 REDGE
Ahh, an island in the Caribbean. Sounds like what the French call – beautiful.

JONATHAN
It is a beautiful place but again that’s not fren—. (Gives up and sighs) Anyways, her dad, Charles, was a baker’s helper, and her mom, Ruby, was a seamstress and a domestic worker. Shirley was the oldest of four girls. 

REDGE

 The oldest! That must mean she was a great leader! 

JONATHAN

That’s right! Being a leader came naturally to her. By the time she was three years old, she was telling the neighborhood kids what to do, what games to play, what rules to follow. She was strong-willed and loved to talk. Kinda like you, Redge.
 
 REDGE
Yes, exactly like me. Should I use those skills in my presidential campaign?
 
 JONATHAN
Absolutely. Shirley’s parents worked very hard, at their jobs and raising their family. But life in New York City at that time wasn’t easy. They were having a hard time giving their children everything they needed to have a good life. It was even hard to put enough food on the table.

REDGE
That sounds very difficult.

JONATHAN
It was. So, they had to make a tough decision. When Shirley was almost four, she and her sisters were sent to live with their grandmother on a farm in Barbados so their parents could save money while working back in New York City.

REDGE
Wait, she had to leave her parents? How awful! Was she incredibly sad?

JONATHAN
It was hard for Shirley at first, but living in Barbados turned out to be a wonderful experience.

SFX: Ocean waves, birds chirping.

 JONATHAN
She worked on the farm, played on beautiful beaches, and went to a one-room schoolhouse where she got an excellent education.

REDGE
What did she learn?

JONATHAN
Oh, all sorts of things. Reading, writing, math, history, and even needlework. And on the farm? She learned so much from her grandmother, she learned to love her heritage. Shirley later said that her time in Barbados gave her a solid foundation for life.
 
 REDGE
How wonderful. What happened next? Did she ever get back to her parents?
 
 JONATHAN
She did! By the time she– 

REDGE
Wait, let me take notes for my own campaign. Here’s my quill pen and … ah hah “REDGE’S OFFICIAL PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN NOTEBOOK”.
 
 JONATHAN
Very fancy.

REDGE
Quite. Okay, what happened next?

JONATHAN
By the time she was ten years old, her parents were in a better place financially and Shirley and her sisters moved back to Brooklyn.

REDGE
Back to leading the kids on the block?
 
 JONATHAN
That and she went to one of the top high schools in New York City called Brooklyn Girls High School. She studied Latin, Greek, history, and science. 

REDGE
So, she was always very smart, huh?

 JONATHAN
Always. Plus, she had something else.
 
 REDGE
What’s that?

JONATHAN
Drive.

REDGE
Jonathan, you know I can’t drive. I barely know how to ride a bicycle. And this running thing isn’t going well either. 

 JONATHAN

No, Shirley had drive. Determination. 

REDGE
Well, why didn’t you just say that? I’ve got that in spades. I shall use my drive and determination to win this election.

JONATHAN
Excellent idea, Redge. But don’t forget about the others around you. They are the hedgehogs you’re choosing to represent, and whose problems you’re helping to solve. 

REDGE
Yes, yes. That and the lawn gnomes I’m hoping to return.
 
 JONATHAN
After high school, Shirley went to Brooklyn College where she encouraged other girls to get involved in student government. Shirley believed that being smart wasn’t enough. You had to get involved in serving the larger community. You had to use your voice.

 REDGE
Like this? “I speak for the hedgehogs! Give me lawn gnomes or give me death!”
 
 JONATHAN
Excellent voice-using, Redge. We can work on the message a bit later…
 
 REDGE
Thank you. 

JONATHAN
We can work on the message a bit later…

REDGE

Now what happened next? Did she run for president then?
 
 JONATHAN
Not yet. Shirley went on to get her Master’s Degree and become a teacher first. She believed education was the key to changing lives. She taught in her community, worked as a school administrator, and even earned her master’s degree from Columbia University. But while a teacher is one of the most important jobs out there, she knew there was another way she could make a greater impact on her community of Bed-Stuy in Brooklyn.

REDGE
Oh, tell me more! It will be a great inspiration for my campaign!  

JONATHAN
Shirley was an unstoppable force. In 1964, she ran for the New York State Assembly and won. She was only the second Black woman to ever hold that position.
 
 REDGE
Remarkable!

JONATHAN
Remarkable indeed. And she got there with 70% of the vote! For the next four years, she got straight to work. She created programs that helped young people get into college, because she knew how much going to college led to her own success. She pushed for more funding for the schools in her area. And she helped domestic workers when they were out of work.

REDGE
Wasn’t her mom a domestic worker? Also…what exactly is a domestic worker?

JONATHAN

Yes, she was! A domestic worker is someone who works in another person’s home. Like a cleaner, a nanny, or a cook. They often go unnoticed when it comes to employment laws. 

REDGE

But their work is so important! 

JONATHAN

I agree!  Shirley’s mom was a domestic worker and because so many people, especially women, in Shirley’s neighborhood were domestic workers, she understood how vital they were to keep society going. So, she fought hard for their rights. She’d say, “We cannot build a strong society if we leave anyone behind. Education, opportunity, and dignity must be for everyone.”

REDGE

She really cared about the people around her.

JONATHAN 

Absolutely. If you want to lead them, you have to care about people. 

REDGE

And hedgehogs!

JONATHAN

Exactly! Shirley always said she was a person for the people. And that’s why, in 1968, she ran for the United States Congress.
 
 REDGE
That’s a big deal! Isn’t it? 

JONATHAN
A very big deal. The Congress is a group of people who decide on the laws of the United States and no Black woman had ever been elected to Congress before. But Shirley didn’t let that stop her.

REDGE
How did she make that happen? 

JONATHAN
She hit the streets. She went straight to the people. Shirley talked with people in grocery stores, at their homes, and even drove through neighborhoods in her campaign truck shouting through a megaphone.

REDGE
What? A truck? I need a truck. But goodness I still don’t have my driver’s license. Do you think I can run with the megaphone instead?
 
 JONATHAN
That might work.
 
 REDGE
Well, what would she say through the megaphone?

JONATHAN
She’d say, “Ladies and gentlemen, this is Fighting Shirley Chisholm coming through!” Then she’d stop and talk to everyone she could. 

REDGE
She worked really hard. I’m not sure I have it in me to work as hard as Shirley.

JONATHAN
Of course, you do, Redge. As long as you believe in yourself. And hey, I’ll help you too.
 
 REDGE
Really? That’s so kind of you, Jonathan. But did her hard work even pay off? Did she win?
 
 JONATHAN
Yes, sirree. Shirley became the first Black woman ever elected to Congress.

REDGE
Whoa. What did she do when she got to Congress? 

JONATHAN
A lot! She fought to make things better for women, children, and families. One of her biggest accomplishments was helping to create the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children—or WIC—to make sure families had enough food to eat. Shirley remembered what it was like for her parents to struggle to put food on the table. She felt that no child should go hungry in the United States.
 
 REDGE
I wholeheartedly agree.

JONATHAN
Shirley also stood up against things like the Vietnam War and unfair discrimination. She always said she was “Unbought and Unbossed,” meaning she worked for the people, not for anyone else.

REDGE
Unbought and Unbossed. How clever. I need a saying like that. Perhaps, “Our Homes, Our Gnomes”? I like it!

JONATHAN
Pretty clever. 

REDGE
You mentioned Shirley was unstoppable so I’m assuming she didn’t just stop at Congress.
 
 JONATHAN
Of course she didn’t. In January 1972, Shirley Chisholm made an announcement that would shake the country.

REDGE
Oh, what did she do?

JONATHAN
She stood at the Concord Baptist Church in Brooklyn and said, “I am running for president. I stand before you today, not as a Black candidate, not as a woman candidate, but as a candidate for all people.” On that day, she became the first Black woman in the history of the United States to run for President.
 
 REDGE
History-making! Did everyone support her?

JONATHAN
Not exactly. Shirley always said her biggest opposition came from men, no matter their race. During her campaign, even some of the men in the Congressional Black Caucus didn’t support her. A caucus is a private meeting of leaders of a political party to choose candidates or determine policy, which is a set of ideas or plans.

REDGE
What? Why not? She was an excellent speaker, she was smart, she cared about making a positive difference in people’s lives, and she was a natural-born leader. Perfect president material!

JONATHAN
Being a woman leader and especially a Black woman leader in America was difficult and rare at that time. People like Shirley had to fight their way to the top and they received a lot of pushback. Others didn’t believe a woman should run for president. But she didn’t let it stop her.

REDGE
So, did she win?

JONATHAN
I’m sorry to say that she didn’t. She didn’t make it through the first round. She couldn’t raise enough money, and not enough people supported her.

REDGE
Oh no. So what you’re saying is that it’s not worth it. The fight. It isn’t worth it at all. You can be perfect in every sense of the word but it doesn’t matter. There will always be others who don’t support your cause. There will be people who don’t believe you even belong there to begin with, that how you are born determines your fate in life. I should just give up now.

JONATHAN
Absolutely not. Do not forget how much Shirley achieved. Despite the people who thought she couldn’t work in the NY State Legislature, become the first Black Congresswoman, or even run for president, she still did all those things. And! She actually changed people’s lives in the process. She made an indelible mark on history for everyone in America. She paved the way for so many female leaders to come. It is one thousand percent all worth it. And you know what?
 
 REDGE
What?
 
 JONATHAN
Shirley won 10% of the votes in the Democratic primary election, which was a huge deal for her at that time in history. She also built very strong alliances with women from all different backgrounds.

REDGE
So she paved the way.
 
 JONATHAN
Yes, she did. No matter what happens in the world, there will always be something to fight for. There will always be people who need your help. You can lead something like your HOA in your community, or you can show up and help a neighbor when they’re sick. Shirley is proof positive that this is the only way to make our world a better place.
 
 REDGE
I guess lawn gnomes are a silly thing to be fighting for. 

JONATHAN
Well, I don’t know about that. If you love something, it’s worth fighting for. But are there other problems in your neighborhood that you could help with?
 
 REDGE
My neighbors have been complaining of litter throughout the neighborhood. Maybe that’s something I could help fix?
 
 JONATHAN
That’s a great idea! It’s good to ask the other hedgehogs about what they need help with first. Then we’ll get you a megaphone that you can shout into. 

REDGE
Excellent. Let’s start knocking on doors and I’ll think of slogans along the way. “Hedgehog? More like Hedgefrog!” No, that doesn’t make sense. “Less Litter, More Glitter!” Hmm … there might be something to that one …

JONATHAN CORMUR: This has been a Jonincharacter production. This Hidden Hero of History story was written by Rebecca Cunningham, edited and produced by Molly Murphy, and performed by Jonathan Cormur. Sound recording and production by Jermaine Hamilton at Pacific Grove Soundworks. We love hearing from you! Contact us at dorktalesstorytime@gmail.com or try our one-way text feature as a safe way to reach out. You can find even more ways to reach us in the show notes.

Now, go be the hero of your own story and we’ll see you next once-upon-a-time!

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