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Shirley Chisholm was the first black woman to serve in the United States Congress. An early education expert, Shirley Chisholm was elected to the New York Legislature in 1964 and to Congress in 1968. She ran for president in 1972, winning 152 delegates before she withdrew. Shirley Chisholm served in Congress until 1983. During her congressional career, Shirley Chisholm was noted for her support for women’s rights, her advocacy of legislation to benefit those in poverty, and her opposition to the Vietnam war.