Just in time for Women's History Month: Brooklyn College's Shirley Chisholm Project Launches Online Presence; Provides Access to Largest Digitized Archive of Material on America's First African American Woman Elected to Congress and on Brooklyn Women's Activism

NEW YORK, March 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman to be elected to Congress, is finally getting her due with the web launch of the Shirley Chisholm Project of Brooklyn Women's Activism: 1945 to the Present.  Housed at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, the Project hopes to become a regular resource for those seeking information about Shirley Chisholm and women's activism in Brooklyn.

According to Professor Barbara Winslow, Associate Professor in the School of Education and the Women's Studies Program at Brooklyn College, the Project's coordinator, "The Project is a multi- faceted endeavor which involves compiling one of the largest archives of material pertaining to Chisholm, the first African American woman elected to Congress (1968), and the first woman and first African American to campaign for the Democratic Party nomination for the Presidency of the United States."

She added, "This Project, however, is also compiling archival material about Brooklyn women and their activism, and, so far, houses materials of the Brooklyn Women's Political Caucus and the Brooklyn Pro Choice Network. All the materials on Chisholm have been digitized. The Project also hosts public conferences dealing with the life and legacy of Chisholm as well as the activism of Brooklyn women. Finally, the Project sees itself as an important resource for college students and as a partner in Brooklyn's public schools, providing teaching and teachers' pages on its website, and curriculum development as well as professional development."  

The Project's site also includes many video and audio clips from people who knew Ms. Chisholm, including Gloria Steinem, Richard Greene and others, and an array of original campaign literature, buttons, platform statements and position papers.

"Shirley Chisholm was a trail blazer. While there are many factors that have led to the election of our first African American President, Barack Obama, we know that Shirley Chisholm's determination to become an elected official and, possibly, the President of the United States, against overwhelming odds, gave heart and hope to women and people of color throughout this country," said Professor Winslow.

More:  http://shirleychisholmproject.brooklyn.cuny.edu

SOURCE Shirley Chisholm Project at Brooklyn College