US Congress awards Shirley Chisholm the Congressional Gold Medal for her pioneering legacy

Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to Congress, will posthumously receive the Congressional Gold Medal following House approval of the Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold Medal Act. The bill, which honors her groundbreaking contributions to racial and gender equity, underserved communities, and her historic 1972 presidential campaign, now awaits US President Biden’s signature.

Introduced by Senators Laphonza Butler and Raphael Warnock and sponsored in the House by Congresswoman Barbara Lee, the legislation garnered strong bipartisan support.

During her seven terms in Congress, Chisholm, nicknamed “Fighting Shirley,” introduced 50 bills and championed civil rights, gender equality, economic justice, and peace, including vocal opposition to the Vietnam War. In 1972, she made history as the first Black person and woman to run for a major party’s presidential nomination.