American educator, author, and politician.

In 1968, Chisholm was the first Black woman elected to US Congress, representing New York’s 12th district.  Chisholm was the first Black candidate for President of the United States and first woman to run. Chisholm started her career as a teacher/director of child care, and was an authority on early education and child welfare. She was a member of the NY State Assembly and then ran for US Congress. Chisholm helped create the supplemental nutrition program (WIC) and was on the Education and Labor Committee. She was one of the founding members of the Congressional Black Caucus, and frequently stated that she faced more discrimination in her career because she was a woman than because of her race. In 2015, Chisholm was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama.