EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS- May 1, 1969 than ever a must lest the "taxpayers' revolt" get up there on the floor of Congress, I'm per cent black and 30 per cent white. become something more than a Walter Mitty sure you'll understand that I am speaking There were Puerto Ricans in Williams- dream. with the pent-up emotions of the commu- burg (Mrs. Chisholm speaks Spanish flu- nity'." She grinned. "One thing the people ently), Italians in the Bushwick section, in Washington and New York are afraid of and Jews in Crown Heights. Mrs. Chisholm's THIS IS FIGHTING SHIRLEY in Shirley Chisholm is HER MOUTH." The survey of the election rolls ("Before I make a CHISHOLM audience roared. move, I analyze everything," she says, eyes A few days later, Representative Chisholm snapping) turned up one additional demo- returned to Washington and began her fight graphic factor which possibly eluded other HON. BROCK ADAMS to change her assignment from a House Agri- Congressional hopefuls. The 12th had 10,000 OF WASHINGTON culture subcommittee on Forestry and Rural to 13,000 more registered women voters than IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Villages to something more relevant to her men. Before the ink was dry on the new dis- Bedford-Stuyvesant community. (Mrs. Chis- trict's lines; Shirley Chisholm put in her bid. Thursday, May 1, 1969 holm had hoped for Education and Labor.) While Bedford-Stuyvesant was the heart She approached Speaker John McCormack, of the new 12th Congressional District, the Mr. ADAMS. Mr. Speaker, it gives me who told her, she reports, to accept the as- Unity Democratic Club, the regular Demo- a great deal of pleasure to bring to the signment and "be a good soldier." She brood- cratic organization for the 55th State Assem- attention of the House an article on our ed'about that for a while, she says, and then bly District, was the strongest political club colleague the Honorable SHIRLEY CHIS- decided, "That's why the country is the way in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Unity was founded HOLM. This article appeared in a recent it is." Mrs. Ohisholm then placed an amend- in 1960 around the person of Thomas R. Sunday magazine section of the New ment before the House Democratic caucus to Jones, a politically active lawyer, and the York Times. remove her name from the Agriculture Com- club won its spurs in 1962 with the election of Jones to the State Assembly and to the The gentlelady from Brooklyn has al- mittee, aware that she was taking an un- precedented step-bucking the powerful Wil- district leadership, beating out Sam Ber- ready shown that her desire to be known bur Mills of Arkansas, chairman of the man's old-line Jewish organization in the as the "first black woman Congressman" House Ways and Means Committee and the changing neighborhood. Tom Jones was Uni- is no idle request. The problems which man who parcels out committee assignments ty's standard-bearer and guiding light, but we face- in the country today demand to his fellow Democrats. According to Mrs. when he was offered a civil court judgeship stich" E'edication. Her references to the Chisholm, Mills tried to call her bluff in in 1964, he accepted-and removed himself word "gentle" in the article are most in- caucus. "Will the gentlewoman from Brook- from the local political fray. It was at this lyn withdraw her amendment?" he intoned. point that Shirley Chisholm announced she teresting. Fighting SHIRLEY CHISHOLM, would seek Jones's Assembly seat. in the House Mrs. Chisholm says she was particularly the campaigner, is welcome tickled by "gentlewoman," but otherwise re- "They were shocked," Mrs. Chisholm re- as Fighting SHIRLEY CHISHOLM, the Con- mained unmoved. Mrs. Chisholm was removed members. "It was the first time a black gresswoman. from Agriculture and later assigned to Vet- woman had sought elective office in Brook- The article referred to follows: erans' Affairs. The Ohisholm balk remains lyn. But I knew I could do it. I felt strong As THE "FIRST BLACK WOMAN CONGRESSMAN" the most vivid sign of life in the 91st Con- enough. There were people in that club- HERSELF PUTS IT: THIS IS FIGHTING SHIR- gress. house who were saying, 'Why not give Ohis- LEY CHISHOLM Shirley Chisholm is true grit. Her comet- holm a chance? She's got it. She can lead.' the club's executive committee, 'If (By Susan Brownmiller) like rise from clubhouse worker to Repre- So I told sentative in the United States Congress was you need to have a discussion, have a dis- The annual founder's-day luncheon of the no accident of the political heavens. It was cussion. But it makes no difference to me. I Delta Sigma Theta sorority was held this accomplished by the wiles of a steely politi- intend to fight.' " Others who were members January at the Americana Hotel. The occa- cian with a belief in her own abilities which of the executive committee at the time re- sion represented a triple honor for the Brook- at times approaches an almost Messianic fer- member it differently. Particularly, they re- lyn alumnae chapter of Delta, one of three vor. "My rise has been constantly fighting," call a stormy session with tears when it ranking and fiercely competitive Negro sorori- she likes to say. "And I have had to fight looked for a moment as if Jones might stay ties in the country. It was Brooklyn's turn doubly hard because I am a woman. I am a in the Assembly after all. In any event, Mrs. to play hostess to the national; the guest very different sort of person than usually Chisholm got the Unity Club's endorsement speaker was the Honorable Shirley Chisholm, emerges on the political scene." It's an ac- and went on to win the 1964 primary and first black Congresswoman in America; and, curate self-assessment. "The nation's first the general election. Because of reapportion- coup of coups, in secret ceremony before the black Congresswoman"-or "first black wom- ment, she had to run again in 1965 and '66. luncheon the chapter was privileged to initi- an Congressman," as she prefers to put it- "I proved to be the top vote-getter," she says ate into Delta the lady of the hour herself. does not begin to explain who Shirley Chis- grimly. "I always pulled higher than the top "Soror" Chisholm cut an imposing figure holm is. But "the first black," etc., is not how of the ticket." on the dais. Small, dark, ramrod-straight, she she wishes to be remembered. "I'd like them In Albany, Mrs. Chisholm also proved an was outfitted in a blue-and-gilt brocade suit to say that Shirley Chisholm had guts. That's able enough legislator. Her name was at- with matching turban. Her black-rimmed how I'd like to be remembered." tached to the Assembly side of the first eye-glasses were firmly planted above her There is a saying about women who hold legislation extending unemployment insur- wide nose. Her bearing gave her the look of a elective office-that most of them got there ance benefits to domestic workers, and she visiting queen rather than Delta's newest on a "widow's mandate." It certainly holds plumped hard in committee and on the As- initiate. When it was her turn to speak, Mrs. true for Edna Kelly, the Congressional vet- sembly floor for the SEEK program, a higher- Chisholm arose with her prepared text. eran who was unceremoniously bumped from education plan that enables worthy disad- She has a quality that is rare in any her seat last year when Brooklyn's 12th Con- vantaged students who make low-aptitude woman-the ability to speak forcefully be- gressional District scores to enter universities and receive in- fore an audience. On this particular after- was redrawn to carve out a largely black tensive remedial aid. Assemblyman Albert H. noon, the former schoolteacher began by constituency. Mrs. Kelly was brought into politics by Irwin Steingut, Blumenthal, the newly appointed "deputy" enunciating each syllable with biting clar- then the minority leader of the State minority leader, recalls Mrs. Chisholm as "a ity, her West Indian accent rising and falling Assembly, but a loner. Unlike in controlled cadence, her strongly sibilant when her husband, a judge, was killed in an very tough lady, likable, automobile crash. other women in the Legislature, she was "s" forming a pleasant rhythmic counter- Her 19-year record in Con- gress was, never afraid to jump into a debate. Shirley point to the clipped words. Midway through at best, mediocre. Early in 1968, the State Legislature, under she never flailed. She her effort (an inspirational plea for higher Federal Court was never hysterical, order said it horizons), Mrs. Chisholm smiled broadly. to correct population inequities in knew what she wanted to say and she some As she put aside her notes, her voice lost Congressional districts, revamped the well. She wasn't quick to make up her mind, lines in central some of its didactic school-marm flavor and Brooklyn in such a manner but when she did, you couldn't blast her took on an earthier cadence of the streets: that Mrs. Kelly was wiped off the political out of it. Enemies like Shirley," Blumenthal "You have no idea what those people in map. Mrs. Kelly, until that time a loyal sol- adds half-humorously, "nobody needs in Washington with thair hands on the power dier in the Brooklyn Democratic organiza- politics." (For those who like to keep their have been plotting and planning for us.