Shirley Chisholm Quotes

A collection of quotes by Shirley Chisholm.

Shirley Chisholm was an American politician and educator, born on November 30, 1924, and passed away on January 1, 2005. She became the first African American woman elected to the United States Congress, serving from 1969 to 1983. Chisholm was also the first Black candidate from a major party to run for the presidency in 1972, representing the Democratic Party. Throughout her career, she fought for racial and gender equality, advocating for the rights of marginalized communities. Chisholm's groundbreaking achievements paved the way for future generations of women and people of color in politics.

If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding

If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.

Shirley Chisholm


The emotional, sexual, and psychological stereotyping of fem

The emotional, sexual, and psychological stereotyping of females begins when the doctor says: It's a girl.

Shirley Chisholm


There is little place in the political scheme of things for

There is little place in the political scheme of things for an independent, creative personality, for a fighter. Anyone who takes that role must pay a price.

Shirley Chisholm

Politics

We Americans have the chance to become someday a nation in w

We Americans have the chance to become someday a nation in which all radical stocks and classes can exist in their own selfhoods, but meet on a basis of respect and equality and live together, socially, economically, and politically. We can become a dynamic equilibrium, a harmony of many different elements, in which the whole will be greater than all its parts and greater than any society the world has seen before. It can still happen.

Shirley Chisholm

Multiculturalism

Service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living on th

Service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living on this earth.

Shirley Chisholm

Service

Of my two handicaps, being female put many more obstacles in

Of my two handicaps, being female put many more obstacles in my path than being black.

Shirley Chisholm

Prejudice

You don't make progress by standing on the sidelines, whimpe

You don't make progress by standing on the sidelines, whimpering and complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas.

Shirley Chisholm

Progress

It is not heroin or cocaine that makes one an addict, it is

It is not heroin or cocaine that makes one an addict, it is the need to escape from a harsh reality. There are more television addicts, more baseball and football addicts, more movie addicts, and certainly more alcohol addicts in this country than there are narcotics addicts.

Shirley Chisholm

Recovery (addiction/alcoholism)

The emotional, sexual, and psychological stereotyping of fem

The emotional, sexual, and psychological stereotyping of females begins when the doctor says: 'It's a girl.'

Shirley Chisholm

Equality

At present, our country needs women's idealism and determina

At present, our country needs women's idealism and determination, perhaps more in politics than anywhere else.

Shirley Chisholm

Politics

Tremendous amounts of talent are lost to our society just be

Tremendous amounts of talent are lost to our society just because that talent wears a skirt.

Shirley Chisholm

Society