Honoring Shirley Chisholm at 100

Photo: Joyofmuseums, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The First Major Museum Exhibition Focusing on the Life And Legacy of the Barrier-Breaking Leader

Opening at Museum of the City of New York on June 24, 2024

Celebrating a century as New York’s storyteller, the Museum of the City of New York announced details for its upcoming exhibition, Honoring Shirley Chisholm at 100, opening on June 24, 2024. The first major museum exhibition dedicated to the legendary Shirley Chisholm, Honoring Shirley Chisholm at 100 delves into the life and legacy of this trailblazing legislator, whose contributions to our nation’s public policy endure today.

“Shirley Chisholm was a fierce defender of her borough, a captivating orator, shaper of policy, and powerful voice for New Yorkers,” remarks Stephanie Hill Wilchfort, the Ronay Menschel Director and President of the Museum of the City of New York. “This exhibition connects New Yorkers to their political and social history, fosters understanding of today’s electoral process, and underscores the importance of civic engagement in our city.”

Presented in collaboration with the Shirley Chisholm Project on Brooklyn Women’s Activism, the exhibition promises a multifaceted exploration of Chisholm’s journey via three captivating sections: Brooklyn Life, Political Career, and Legacy. It weaves a tapestry of Chisholm’s life and times using historical artifacts, music, photographs, archival footage as well as art, including showcasing rarely exhibited 1970s Faith Ringgold paintings, from which the show’s title is borrowed. Supported by an Honorary Committee including Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton, Senator Chuck Schumer, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, Dr. Supported by an Honorary Committee including Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton, Senator Chuck Schumer, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, Dr. Una S.T. Clarke, and more, Honoring Shirley Chisholm at 100 examines the impact of a woman whose advocacy shaped politics and policies. It highlights Chisholm’s Caribbean identity as well as her role as a diasporic figure both politically and culturally–while exploring her significance as the first African-American woman elected to Congress, her historic run for the presidency in 1972, and the ways she changed the face of American democracy.

Honoring Shirley Chisholm at 100 marks the centennial of Chisholm’s birth and aligns with the 2024 U.S. presidential election. It seeks to ignite the same charismatic spark and passion for democratic processes that fueled Chisholm’s policy work and grassroots campaigning. The exhibition unfolds in the Museum’s second-floor North Gallery, inviting visitors to immerse themselves in the multi-dimensional story of this barrier-breaking figure.

“Beyond her well-known political feats, Chisholm’s impact resonates deeply, transcending both her congressional district in Brooklyn and the U.S. stage,” says exhibition co-curator Dr. Zinga A. Fraser, Assistant Professor, Africana Studies Department and Women’s and Gender Studies Program and Director of the Shirley Chisholm Project on Brooklyn Women’s Activism at Brooklyn College. “Now, as we enter another major election year, this is a poignant moment to showcase the depth of her role, not just as a catalyst for change among the political establishment of the time, but also as bold inspiration for a new wave of people running for office and engaging with our democratic political institutions on the local and national level.”

Dr. Sarah Seidman, Puffin Foundation Curator of Social Activism and co-curator of the exhibition, notes, “The goal of Honoring Shirley Chisholm at 100 is to dig deeper – looking at the substance about who she was, what she worked on, and her lasting impact today, including her work on a range of issues such as reproductive justice, food insecurity, and voting rights. It examines how a seemingly singular individual rose out of a range of unique New York networks; how those networks functioned as tools for change while spotlighting Chisholm’s broader influence across the past, present, and future of New York City.”

Honoring Shirley Chisholm at 100 will be accompanied by a range of public programs and educational activities. The Museum will organize panel discussions, walking tours, performances, and more that will bring the public together with leading scholars and culture workers to expand upon stories featured in the exhibition. The Museum’s Frederick A.O. Schwarz Education Center will organize field trips, webinars, and professional development seminars that will connect students and teachers to what Chisholm experienced, stood for, and accomplished throughout her life. More details to be announced at http://www.mcny.org.

Honoring Shirley Chisholm at 100 is co-curated by Zinga A. Fraser, PhD and Sarah Seidman, PhD, and the exhibition was designed by WSDIA (We Should Do It All).

Honoring Shirley Chisholm at 100 is made possible in part by the Lily Auchincloss Foundation, Dobkin Family Foundation, The Puffin Foundation, Ltd., and an Anonymous Family Foundation.

About The Museum of the City of New York
Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2023, the Museum of the City of New York fosters an understanding of the distinctive nature of urban life in the world’s most influential metropolis. Time Out New York named its blockbuster centennial show, This Is New York: NYC in Art and Pop Culture, as the best exhibition of 2023. Moreover, the Museum previously earned the title of “Best Museum” in Time Out New York’s “Best of the City 2021” as well as multiple American Alliance of Museums (AAM) awards. To connect with the Museum’s award-winning digital content, visit www.mcny.org, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter at @MuseumOfCityNY and on Facebook at Facebook.com/MuseumOfCityNY.