Ms. Chisholm and Her Organizations

After her political career Shirley Chisholm became heavily involved in the organizations that she had founded and had long been a member of.  Some of these organizations include Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, National Political Congress of Black Women, Congressional Black Caucus, The Unity Democratic Club, and was even inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame.  These organizations which were founded on great leadership and equality beliefs are still around today and hold the same standards as they did when they were originally founded.

            Delta Sigma Theta Sorority is a sorority founded in 1913 and the founding members believed in five main points, which are known as the Five Point Programmatic Thrust.  The Five Point Programmatic Thrust includes: Economic Development, Educational Development, International Awareness and Involvement, Physical and Mental Health, and Political Awareness and Involvement.  Delta Sigma Theta sorority has been around almost a century and they are still a force to be reckoned with even here at the University of Southern Mississippi.  (ΔΣΘ)

            The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, is an organization founded in 1909 based on the idea  that all American citizens should be granted political, educational, social, and economic equality.  (NAACP)  The NAACP (as it is called) was founded by numerous individuals along with Chisholm including, WEB Dubois, and Ida Bell Barnett just to name a few.  As of today, there are thousands of chapters of NAACP across the country, even one on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi. 

            National Political Congress of Black Women, was an organization founded by Chisholm that encourages the political empowerment of African American women through education and voter rights. (NCBW) The National Political Congress of Black Women was founded in 1985 to promote the advancement of African American women and their families.  This organization continues to do so in various states across the nation.  The Congressional Black Caucus, which is much like the National Political Congress of Black Women, was another organization partly founded by Chisholm founded in 1971 by African American members of congress.  These African Americans aimed to positively influence African Americans in politics. 

            The Unity Democratic Club, was the very first organization that was founded MAINLY by Chisholm herself, it was her “baby”.  The Unity Democratic club was founded in 1960, and it focused on mobilizing Hispanic and African American voters.  It was this organization alone that proved to Americans how much she cared about what the people thought.  Her motto was UNBOSSED AND UNBOUGHT and that was true in every thing that she did.  She did not do things because she was told to do so or because she was paid to do so, she did it because it is what she wanted to do and that speaks volumes to her strength.