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"A tremendously impressive book."--Washington Post "Her motto and title of her autobiography--Unbought and Unbossed--illustrates her outspoken advocacy for women and minorities during her seven terms in the U.S. House of Representatives."--National Women's History Museum In this classic work--a blend of memoir, social criticism, and political analysis that remains relevant today--the first Black Congresswoman to serve in American history, New York's dynamic representative Shirley Chisholm, traces her extensive political struggle and examines the problems that have long plagued the American system of government. "I want to be remembered as a woman . . . who dared to be a catalyst of change." Political pioneer Shirley Chisholm--activist, member of the House of Representatives, and former presidential candidate--was a woman who consistently broke barriers and inspired generations of American women, and especially women of color. Unbought and Unbossed is her story, told in her own words--a thoughtful and informed look at her rise from the streets of Brooklyn to the halls of Congress. Chisholm speaks out on her life in politics while illuminating the events, personalities, and issues of her time, including the schism in the Democratic party in the 1960s and '70s--all of which speak to us today. In this frank assessment, "Fighting Shirley" recalls how she took on an entrenched system, gave a public voice to millions, and embarked on a trailblazing bid to be the first woman and first African American President of the United States. By daring to be herself, Shirley Chisholm shows how one person forever changed the status quo.… (more)
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"I told them that no one has a right to call himself a leader
"My role, I think, is more that of a catalyst. By verbalizing what is wrong, by trying to strip off the masks that make people comfortable in the midst of chaos, perhaps I can help get things moving."--pg.171-72
The problem with this book was that it was written smack in the middle of Ms. Chisholm's career. To her contemporaries, most of what she includes anecdotally is familiar, so she breezes past many events and faces that I found myself needing to pause and research. The latter part of the book catches up to the present, and so it is primarily a series of exhortations instead of recollections. It read like a string of campaign speeches, which are all the more awkward without the benefit of her knowing which of her "confident" predictions were going to fizzle and which would turn out to be correct.
I'm glad I read it, since my knowledge of this era of American history is shamefully lacking, but I think I would rather have gone with a biography written after the fact instead of a memoir from the period.