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Shirley Chisholm was a trailblazing American politician, educator, and author who made history as the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress in 1968.
She was born in the US, but what a lot of people don’t know is that she grew up in Barbados.
Representing New York’s 12th congressional district, she championed social justice, education reform, and women’s rights during her seven terms in office. Her motto, “Unbought and Unbossed,” defined her fearless approach to politics and dedication to independent thinking.
In 1972, Chisholm broke another barrier by becoming the first Black woman to run for the presidency of the United States as a major-party candidate.
She prioritized issues like racial equality, economic opportunity, and healthcare reform, gaining support from marginalized communities across the nation.
Beyond politics, Chisholm was a staunch advocate for education and equal rights. A former educator, she used her platform to fight for improved schools, childcare, and anti-poverty programs. Her legacy continues to inspire activists and politicians today, reminding the world that courage, determination, and vision can challenge the status quo and ignite meaningful change.
The Division of Culture, Prime Minister’s Office has launched a series of educational initiatives for primary schools as part of the Shirley Chisholm Project, ‘Celebrating Shirley – 100 Years’, a Government-led programme to honour and celebrate the life and legacy of Shirley Chisholm.
During the official launch at the Shirley Chisholm Primary School in Vauxhall, Christ Church on Tuesday, Rodney Grant, Chairman of the Shirley Chisholm Project, explained that the activities include primary schools heritage tours and visits and a National Library Service (NLS) Primary Schools Art Competition.
He said, “As we are all aware, [Shirley] Chisholm spent part of her early childhood here in Barbados and went on to make history as the first black woman to be elected to the United States Congress and to run for a Presidential nomination in that country.
“She was a true champion for civil rights, gender equality and social justice and through these activities we aim to educate young people about her story and her remarkable achievements but, more importantly, we want to inspire them to pursue greatness.”
Grant explained that the NLS Primary School Art Competition was open to students from all primary schools on the island with exciting prizes for the winners, their art teachers and schools.
The competition’s theme is: ‘The Importance of Education to Character Development’ and students can submit their entries, of drawings or paintings depicting their interpretation of Ms. Chisholm’s primary school education in Barbados, via email to honourchisholm@nls.gov.bb no later than Independence Day, Saturday, November 30.
Giving details on the heritage tours and visits organised by the Barbados National Register of Historic Places, Mr. Grant explained that students will participate in guided tours around Christ Church, highlighting locations of significance to Ms. Chisholm’s early life in Barbados.
“We will also visit various primary schools for interactive sessions and during both the tours and visits, students will receive information on Chisholm’s amazing career. Naturally, we are starting with the students here at the Shirley Chisholm Primary and then we move onto the Christ Church Girls’ Primary, Grantley Prescod Memorial Primary and St. Silas Primary, among others,” he added.
Dr. Sheron Johnson, Senior Cultural Policy and Research Officer at the Division of Culture noted that the tours and visits aim to foster appreciation and understanding of Barbados’ rich cultural heritage.
She said: “By immersing young Barbadians in the historical significance of their surroundings, this initiative, which also supports the Ministry of Education’s Social Studies curriculum, also seeks to inspire a sense of pride and responsibility toward preserving Barbados’ history.”
Principal of the Shirley Chisholm Primary School, Donna Franklin, praised the initiative, stating, “Our students have been exposed to the life and legacy of Shirley Chisholm through storytelling, the sharing of materials and their Social Studies lessons. We welcome the tour because we believe it will enhance those learning experiences.
“As a school, we teach our students that, just like Shirley Chisholm, they too, can be catalysts for change and we embrace opportunities to teach them that they can become anything that they want to be. They can dream big, they can think big and they can achieve anything. Not just here, but globally as well.”
Barbados’ Independence Day, November 30, 2024 marks the centenary anniversary of Shirley Chisholm’s birth.
Source: Barbados GIS.
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