Shirley Chisholm’s Legacy
Here comes the Democratic National Convention,
A month since the leadership furore stirred,
A roll call to make a formal nomination—
This bold Black woman with a voice to be heard.
With bouffant updo, upright posture, and crisp diction,
We love Kamala Harris because of Shirley Chisholm.
First Black Congresswoman, from New York emerged,
“Unbought and Unbossed,” her campaign declared.
She’s NOT a candidate of Black America,
Though she’s Black and proud.
Nor the candidate of the women’s movement,
Though she’s equally proud of that.
Without endorsements from big-name politicians,
Celebrities, or any other kind of prop –
“I AM THE CANDIDATE OF THE PEOPLE OF AMERICA,”
Not a puppet for special interests or the fat cats.
From the start, her bid was deemed quixotic,
Promising leadership that is open and fresh.
Have you been neglected, ignored, or shunned aside?
Then come join the Shirley Chisholm ride.
She said a house divided cannot stand,
Convinced fellow Americans were ready to discard
Narrow, petty prejudices sowing incessant discord,
And shun political personalities of the recent past.
Even when George Wallace got shot five times,
Her stark racist rival advocating segregation,
In Holy Cross Hospital, the Governor cried,
After Shirley’s visit, her compassion unfeigned.
Her own Black community almost crucified her,
Fueled by indignation from the Black Panthers.
But forced to sit still and reflect on his mortality,
Led to Wallace’s U-turn and spiritual reawakening.
Winning wasn’t her goal; her vision was wider,
To influence the nominee, to champion a cause,
For women’s rights, Black and Indigenous beside her,
Against white male opponents, she found applause.
When the convention came her delegates gained,
152 strong, she stood upright at the gathering,
A legacy that paved paths for the future to see,
Unbought and Unbossed was truly groundbreaking.
We love Kamala Harris because of Shirley Chisholm,
She has secured the Democratic nomination,
Barriers torn down, old paradigms shattering—
A Black woman bidding for a bloodless revolution.
