As the 100th anniversary of Shirley Chisholm\u2019s birth approaches on November 30, a growing effort to honor her legacy is taking shape. Chisholm, the first African American woman elected to Congress in 1968 and a trailblazer for equality and justice, remains a powerful symbol of courage and leadership. The Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold Medal Act, spearheaded by Democratic Sen. Laphonza Butler, is moving closer to passage with bipartisan support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Butler, the bill\u2019s primary sponsor, has garnered backing from key lawmakers, including Democratic Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York. The legislation seeks to award Chisholm one of the nation\u2019s highest civilian honors, cementing her place as one of the most transformative figures in American history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Carlo Jerome Juntilla, Education and Labor Policy Advisor for Butler, acknowledged the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) for its critical role in advancing the bill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The NNPA is the trade association of more than 200 African American-owned newspapers and media companies, which comprise the 197-year-old Black Press of America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThanks to your efforts, we have secured the necessary number of co-sponsors to move the bill forward, and we are now in a strong position to pass it,\u201d Juntilla wrote in an email to the NNPA. \u201cWith the late Shirley Chisholm\u2019s 100th birthday approaching on November 30, we are looking for ways to collaborate further in order to elevate her legacy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Juntilla also emphasized the importance of continuing to amplify Chisholm\u2019s story through additional collaborations, including op-eds and media campaigns. Juntilla even noted the value of highlighting Butler and Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), who is leading the effort in the House.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
NNPA President & CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. and members of the NNPA\u2019s main office had organized a meeting with Butler where they discussed the honor for Chisholm. \u201cThe legacy of the Honorable Shirley Chisholm lives radiantly today and for generations to come,\u201d Chavis remarked. \u201cThe NNPA stands resolutely in support of the leadership of The Honorable Laphonsa Butler to bestow to Chisholm with the Congressional honors that she deserves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bobby Henry, Chairman of the NNPA, also expressed the organization\u2019s unwavering support for the bill and its significance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs Chairman of the NNPA, I am honored to stand in support of the Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold Medal Act, a vital recognition of one of the most transformative figures in American history,\u201d said Henry, who also publishes the Westside Gazette Newspaper in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. \u201cShirley Chisholm\u2019s legacy as the first African American woman elected to Congress and a fearless advocate for equality and justice continues to inspire generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe commend Senator Laphonza Butler and Representative Barbara Lee for championing this historic legislation and for their commitment to ensuring Chisholm\u2019s contributions are celebrated and remembered. As we approach the centennial of her birth, the NNPA is proud to collaborate in elevating her enduring impact on our nation and the world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chisholm\u2019s groundbreaking career includes her historic 1972 presidential campaign, during which she became the first Black woman to seek the nomination of a major political party. Her slogan, \u201cUnbought and Unbossed,\u201d embodied her commitment to justice and refusal to conform to traditional political norms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Butler, who made history herself as the first Black lesbian to serve in the U.S. Senate, has made the bill a top priority. With growing bipartisan support and co-sponsors from across the political spectrum, the legislation represents a unifying effort to honor Chisholm\u2019s legacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShirley Chisholm\u2019s legacy continues to inspire generations,\u201d Henry said. \u201cAs we approach the centennial of her birth, we must ensure her enduring impact is celebrated, remembered, and elevated for the nation and the world to see.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As the 100th anniversary of Shirley Chisholm\u2019s birth approaches on November 30, a growing effort to honor her legacy is taking shape. Chisholm, the first African American woman elected to Congress in 1968 and a trailblazer for equality and justice, remains a powerful symbol of courage and leadership. The Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold Medal Act, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[1415,1450,35],"class_list":["post-2355","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-cory-booker","tag-kirsten-gillibrand","tag-shirley-chisholm","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2355","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2355"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2355\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2356,"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2355\/revisions\/2356"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2355"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2355"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2355"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}