Organizations partner to celebrate 100 years of Shirley Chisholm in Prospect Park

The Prospect Park Alliance, in partnership with the League of Women Voters NYC, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Brooklyn Alumnae Chapter, and Brooklyn NAACP, will on Sept. 7 commemorate 100 years of Shirley Chisholm.

Voter activation and registration will he held from 1:00 – 3 p.m., and performance and talk-back, 3 – 5 p.m.

The late civil rights leader will be honored in a memorial at Lefferts Historic House in Prospect Park, during a day of civic action and engagement in Brooklyn’s backyard.

Chisholm, a lifelong Brooklynite who would have turned 100 this year, was the first Black Woman elected to Congress and the first woman and African American candidate to campaign for President of the United States from one of the two major political parties. As a leader and an advocate for residents of Brooklyn and the country at large, Chisholm made a profound impact fighting for equality for all.

The proud daughter of Barbadian and Guyanese immigrants and active member of the League of Women Voters, the Brooklyn NAACP, and the Brooklyn Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Chisholm was a fierce proponent of the importance of voting.

To learn about Chisholm’s impact in Brooklyn and beyond, there will be a production of Ingrid Griffith’s award-winning one-woman show “Shirley Chisholm: Unbossed & Unbowed” on the porch of Lefferts Historic House.

To honor Chisholm’s impact and join the push to register to vote, gain assistance registering to vote with the League of Women Voters, learn about the difference your vote can make and identify the issues at stake in this year’s election. Plus, plan for where and when to vote and learn about the importance of voting.

“I hope all will join us to honor Brooklyn trailblazer Shirley Chisholm’s legacy and help to get the word out about the vital need to vote, as Chisholm so strongly advocated throughout her life,” said Prospect Park Alliance President, Morgan Monaco.

“As the first Black woman to lead the Prospect Park Alliance, I am truly honored to celebrate Chisholm’s legacy. We look forward to proudly hosting the first monument in her honor at the Parkside and Ocean entrance and sending a message to the entire Caribbean American community to see themselves and feel welcome in Prospect Park. This performance and voter registration event is another exciting way where we get to celebrate ways, she enacted change here in Brooklyn and beyond,” said Morgan Monaco.

“Shirley Chisholm’s activism began, in part, at the LWVNYC, and her fearless leadership and advancement of democracy continue to inspire. That she was an African American woman of Caribbean heritage from Brooklyn blazing a political trail even before the Voting Rights Act of 1965 makes her a shero to me,” said Karen Wharton, League of Women Voters NYC Board Member.

“Shirley said, ‘The one thing you’ve got going: your one vote.’ That encapsulates what we believe at The League. That is why we are so excited to celebrate this phenomenal woman by teaming with our partners to couple a performance about her life with voter registration and activation of as many New Yorkers as possible. Together, we honor Shirley Chisholm’s legacy by ensuring all voices and votes are heard,” according to Wharton.

“The legacy of Brooklyn Alumnae of Delta Theta Sigma Sorority member Shirley Chisholm is an unwavering commitment to equality, equity, and inclusion. We draw strength from her tremendous courage and determination,” said Kenya Johnson, president of Brooklyn Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.

“We celebrate our Soror Shirley by fostering a community of empowerment, education, and advocacy and creating a space where everyone, especially women, can continue to write their stories of success and lead for social change. We are proud to be part of this event that honors Shirley Chisholm’s memory by promoting voter education and mobilization,” said Johnson.