By Shola Lynch
Recalling a watershed event in US politics, this compelling documentary takes an in-depth look at the 1972 presidential campaign of Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman elected to Congress and the first to seek nomination for the highest office in the land.
Following Chisholm from her own announcement of her candidacy through her historic speech in Miami at the Democratic National Convention, the story is a fight for inclusion. Shunned by the political establishment and the media, this longtime champion of marginalized Americans asked for support from people of color, women, gays, and young people newly empowered to vote at the age of 18. Chisholm's bid for an equal place on the presidential dais generated strong, even racist opposition. Yet her challenge to the status quo and her message about exercising the right to vote struck many as progressive and positive. Period footage and music, interviews with supporters, opponents, observers, and Chisholm's own commentary all illuminate her groundbreaking initiative, as well as political and social currents still very much alive today.
Reviews
~ "Long before Hillary Clinton there was Shirley Chisholm. [This] gripping portrayal ought to be mandatory viewing for [understanding] the historic presidential race of 2008 or the American political scene in the age of Nixon." - Robin D. G. Kelley, Professor of History & American Studies, University of Southern California
"An essential historical record of Chisholm's campaign and its multidimensional significance to American culture and politics told in Chisholm's voice¡Crucial example of how necessary independent filmmaking is to civic engagement." - Terri Simone Francis, Asst. Professor, Film Studies & African American Studies, Yale University
~ "A refreshing antidote to the opportunism and cynicism that rules the political roost today¡an inspiring tale of someone who made a difference." - The Hollywood Reporter
Award
~ Peabody Award
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