CBH Talk | Zinga Fraser and Jeanne Theoharis Discuss “Shirley Chisholm: In Her Own Words”
Join us for a discussion with Dr. Zinga A. Fraser, whose new book Shirley Chisholm in Her Own Words, offers a long-overdue opportunity to read the congresswoman’s powerful words for ourselves. Chisholm’s speeches and writings on education, racism, women's rights, civil rights, and more, give further proof of her unparalleled role as path-breaker and pioneer, challenging the status quo with a forceful vision of a just and equal democracy.
The first Black woman elected to Congress, Chisholm was a public intellectual and Black feminist. Her writings and speeches provide timeless insights on issues deeply relevant to our current moment. WIth Dr. Faser’s expertise, we explore Chisholm’s life and legacy, and contextualize her profound impact during the Civil Rights and Black Power era.
Dr. Fraser will be led in conversation by Jeanne Theoharis, Distinguished Professor of Political Science at Brooklyn College.
Note: This program has been re-scheduled from the original date of Dec 4. Apologies for any inconvenience.
Participants
Dr. Zinga A. Fraser is Assistant Professor of Africana Studies and Women's and Gender Studies at Brooklyn College, and an author, lecturer, historical consultant, and philanthropist. A foremost expert on Shirley Chisholm and Black Congressional Women and Black feminist politics and culture, she is the Director of the Shirley Chisholm Project on Brooklyn Women’s Activism, and recently served as a historical consultant on the Netflix feature “Shirley,” directed by John Ridley and starring Regina King. Fraser is the co-curator of Shirley Chisholm at 100: Changing the Face of Democracy, the first major museum exhibition on the life and legacy of Shirley Chisholm at the Museum of the City of New York, which opened in June 2024. She has been featured in national and international media outlets including The New York Times, Washington Post, Time Magazine, Essence Magazine, The Associated Press, History Channel, C-SPAN, and National Public Radio. Shirley Chisholm In Her Own Words: Speeches and Writings is her first book.
Jeanne Theoharis is Distinguished Professor of Political Science at Brooklyn College of City University of New York and the author or co-author of twelve books and numerous articles on the civil rights and Black Power movements and the contemporary politics of race in the United States. Her widely-acclaimed biography The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks appeared on the New York Times bestseller list and won a 2014 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work Biography/Autobiography and the Letitia Woods Brown Award from the Association of Black Women Historians. It has been adapted into a documentary of the same name, directed by Johanna Hamilton and Yoruba Richen and executive produced by Soledad O’Brien for NBC-Peacock where she served as a consulting producer. The film won a Peabody Award, a Television Academy Honor Award, a Gracie Award for Historical Documentary, and the Eric Barnouw Award from the Organization of American Historians. Her book A More Beautiful and Terrible History: The Uses and Misuses of Civil Rights History won the 2018 Brooklyn Public Library Literary Prize in Nonfiction. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, MSNBC, The Nation, Slate, the Atlantic, Boston Review, Salon, the Intercept, and the Chronicle of Higher Education.
Join us for a discussion with Dr. Zinga A. Fraser, whose new book Shirley Chisholm in Her Own Words, offers a long-overdue opportunity to read the congresswoman’s powerful words for ourselves. Chisholm’s speeches and writings on education, racism, women's rights, civil rights, and more, give further proof of her unparalleled role as path-breaker and pioneer, challenging the status quo with a forceful vision of a just and equal democracy.
The first Black woman elected to Congress, Chisholm was a public intellectual and Black feminist. Her writings and speeches provide timeless insights on issues deeply relevant to our current moment. WIth Dr. Faser’s expertise, we explore Chisholm’s life and legacy, and contextualize her profound impact during the Civil Rights and Black Power era.
Dr. Fraser will be led in conversation by Jeanne Theoharis, Distinguished Professor of Political Science at Brooklyn College.
Note: This program has been re-scheduled from the original date of Dec 4. Apologies for any inconvenience.
Participants
Dr. Zinga A. Fraser is Assistant Professor of Africana Studies and Women's and Gender Studies at Brooklyn College, and an author, lecturer, historical consultant, and philanthropist. A foremost expert on Shirley Chisholm and Black Congressional Women and Black feminist politics and culture, she is the Director of the Shirley Chisholm Project on Brooklyn Women’s Activism, and recently served as a historical consultant on the Netflix feature “Shirley,” directed by John Ridley and starring Regina King. Fraser is the co-curator of Shirley Chisholm at 100: Changing the Face of Democracy, the first major museum exhibition on the life and legacy of Shirley Chisholm at the Museum of the City of New York, which opened in June 2024. She has been featured in national and international media outlets including The New York Times, Washington Post, Time Magazine, Essence Magazine, The Associated Press, History Channel, C-SPAN, and National Public Radio. Shirley Chisholm In Her Own Words: Speeches and Writings is her first book.
Jeanne Theoharis is Distinguished Professor of Political Science at Brooklyn College of City University of New York and the author or co-author of twelve books and numerous articles on the civil rights and Black Power movements and the contemporary politics of race in the United States. Her widely-acclaimed biography The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks appeared on the New York Times bestseller list and won a 2014 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work Biography/Autobiography and the Letitia Woods Brown Award from the Association of Black Women Historians. It has been adapted into a documentary of the same name, directed by Johanna Hamilton and Yoruba Richen and executive produced by Soledad O’Brien for NBC-Peacock where she served as a consulting producer. The film won a Peabody Award, a Television Academy Honor Award, a Gracie Award for Historical Documentary, and the Eric Barnouw Award from the Organization of American Historians. Her book A More Beautiful and Terrible History: The Uses and Misuses of Civil Rights History won the 2018 Brooklyn Public Library Literary Prize in Nonfiction. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, MSNBC, The Nation, Slate, the Atlantic, Boston Review, Salon, the Intercept, and the Chronicle of Higher Education.
Brooklyn Public Library - Center for Brooklyn History MM/DD/YYYY 60