1972 was an extraordinary year. Richard Nixon was president, running for his second, ill-fated term.  The Vietnam War was in full swing, as were anti-war protests, a burgeoning women’s movement, and the rise of the Black Panther Party. Into the center of this maelstrom — shocking the conventional political wisdom — stepped Shirley Chisholm, a determined, rather prim and unapologetically liberal black woman with a powerful message: Exercise the full measure of your citizenship and vote.

Announcing her candidacy for president on the evening news, Walter Cronkite quipped, “A new hat — rather a bonnet — was tossed into the presidential race today.” As revealed in Chisholm ’72 — Unbought & Unbossed,  this first-ever run by a woman and person of color for presidential nomination was no laughing matter. Nor was it a polite exercise in symbolic electioneering. The New York Democratic congresswoman’s bid engendered strong, and sometimes bigoted opposition, setting off currents that affect American politics and social perceptions to this day.

Featuring stirring archival footage, period music, interviews with supporters, opponents and observers, and Chisholm’s own commentary — then and now —Chisholm ’72 is a remarkable recollection of a campaign that broke new ground in politics, and truly reached out to ‘the people.’ Among those interviewed are author/activist Amiri Baraka (then known as LeRoi Jones), Black Panther founder Bobby Seale, authors Susan Brownmiller and Octavia Butler, former Congressmen Reverend Walter Fauntroy and Ronald Dellums, and journalist/historian Paula Giddings. source http://www.pbs.org/pov/

Linda Brown-Robinson

The film will be followed by a panel discussion with County Legislator, Peggy Chase; Diane Dwire, former candidate for NYS Assembly; and NYS Assemblymember, Pamela J. Hunter. The discussion will be hosted by Linda Brown-Robinson, community activist and president of the NAACP, of Syracuse and Onondaga County.

“For 40 years Linda has been a dedicated volunteer, working on political campaigns and working with myriad community groups. However, her real passion is young people. She directed the NAACP’s ACT-SO youth academic program for 20 years, a yearlong achievement program designed to recruit, stimulate, and encourage high academic and cultural achievement among African-American high school students.” –www.cny55.com

Presented in partnership with:

Sponsored by a Humanities New York Action Grant.
Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in these programs do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.