Loud and Proud
The Life of Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm
-
- $10.99
-
- $10.99
Publisher Description
Three starred reviews!
“History shines” (School Library Journal, starred review) in this inspirational, “vibrantly colored, boisterous, and well-paced” (Booklist, starred review) picture book biography of trailblazer Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman in Congress and the first woman and African American to enter the Democratic presidential race, by award-winning author Lesa Cline-Ransome.
Shirley Chisholm was born in Brooklyn, New York, where her immigrant parents scraped and saved while Shirley learned all the love in the world couldn’t pay the rent. Her father encouraged her ambition early on, telling her, “God gave you a brain, use it.” Shirley worked hard and landed a full scholarship to Brooklyn College where she started advocating for people like her by starting a club for Black women.
When her political science professor told her she should go into politics, Shirley paid attention. She broke new ground and heard “Go home to your husband” and “You don’t belong here” when she was campaigning. But that didn’t stop her; in fact, it made her work harder until she became the first African American woman in Congress in 1968, where she ended up serving seven terms, and advocated for important bills such as the Equal Rights Amendment. She even sought the nomination for president of the United States in 1972.
Shirley Chisholm’s life and legacy served as a catalyst for progress in America and changed the world.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Cline-Ransome and Juanita's biography of trailblazing Black politician Shirley Chisholm (1924–2005) aptly evokes the "Unbought and Unbossed" woman who shook up U.S. politics. Born Shirley Anita St. Hill, the young figure "talked big, walked tall, and told just about everyone what to do." Witnessing her parents' hard work to feed her family in Brooklyn, and overhearing her father's union-focused talk, she began "looking for answers in a world that seemed to turn its back on people who had less." A full scholarship to Brooklyn College engaged her in the debate club and the NAACP, and she listened when a professor suggested she go into politics. Getting signatures to run for the New York State Assembly in 1964, she faced pushback that spurred her toward greater determination. Juanita's inventive digital illustrations recreate Chisholm's quotes in speech bubbles that seem to embody the loftiness of thunderheads, aptly suggesting force-of-nature stature for a figure who wanted "to be remembered as a catalyst for change in America." Secondary characters are portrayed with various skin tones. An author's note and timeline conclude. Ages 4–8.
