Fighting Shirley Cup 39

Village Potter is pleased to present the “Fighting Shirley” collection, a limited edition pottery launch that celebrates the late activist and political trailblazer, Shirley Chisholm (1924 - 2005).

Elected to Congress in 1968, Chisholm was a champion of racial and gender equality who fought for educational reform, policies to improve the lives of those facing poverty, and ending the Vietnam War. During her seven terms representing the great state of New York, Shirley Chisholm introduced more than 50 pieces of legislation and became the first Black woman to join the House Rules Committee. In 1971, Chisholm also helped found the Congressional Black Caucus and the National Women’s Political Caucus.

Shirley Chisholm sought the Democratic Party presidential nomination in 1972 under the slogan “Unbought and Unbossed,” becoming the first African American woman to do so. Although her campaign was plagued by discriminatory opposition, many rallied along the “Chisholm Trail” as Shirley entered 12 primaries and earned 10% of the delegates’ votes. Chisholm’s legacy is embodied best in her own words: “I am and always will be a catalyst for change.