(born 1924) The first African American woman ever elected to US Congress, Shirley Chisholm became a member of the New York State Assembly in 1964 following a career working as an educational consultant for New York City day-care centers. In 1968 she was elected on the Democratic ticket to serve in Congress. After re-election in 1971, she lost in the New York presidential primary of 1972–the first African American to run for this office.