shirley chisholm, we need you

i keep forgetting that it's black history month because as far as i'm concerned, that's every month. so i'm going to do what i usually do and go on and on about whatever amazing negro pops into my head. today is no exception.

ah, shirley chisholm -- the first black woman elected to congress, the first major party black candidate to run for president and the first woman to run for the democratic presidential nomination. she was also an educator and an author, and (in my opinion) a gifted orator. if you haven't seen the 2005 documentary shirley chisholm: unbought and unbossed, you are missing out on something truly spectacular: the awesome visual of a black woman, unflinching and surrounded by hippies, feminists, young voters -- with presence and poise, an absolute powerhouse -- as she delivers the goods.

here's the trailer for the documentary.



...and here's a few wise words from mrs. chisholm herself.

congresswoman shirley chisholm did it first!

before there was obama, before there was hillary, there was former schoolteacher mrs. shirley chisholm -- the first black woman elected to congress and the first black woman to run for president of the united states in 1972. of course, they didn't take her seriously -- but that doesn't mean that she or her campaign weren't serious. what a powerhouse.

check out the documentary about her run for the white house: unbought and unbossed. essential viewing for every american anywhere.

how curious, how very interesting that with all of this gender vs. race talk from the likes of roseanne barr and gloria steinem, with their ongoing "dialogue" of gender bias and the constant positing of feminism as an inclusive sisterhood (ha! i've never believed that whopper), no one in the feminist movement has thought to mention congresswoman chisholm and her historic presidential bid.

seriously, i have a question: after listening to what ms. barr or ms. steinem have to say about the gender issues in this election, is anyone wondering why black women aren't voting for hillary in droves?