Shirley was one of four daughters born to West Indies working class parents. Her parents desired that all their girls received a good education. In 1964, she became the first black woman ever elected to the New York State Assembly. Nine of her own bills were passed by the assembly and four were signed into law while she was in office. In 1968, Shirley decided to move her political career to a national level. With support of the Democratic party, she was elected to the 91st Congress from Brooklyn, making her the first woman to serve in Congress.

On January 25, 1972, Chisholm decided to declare herself as a candidate for the Presidency of the United States. While she did not win the nomination, her campaign shook up the political arena and set the tone for others to try for the presidency. After a successful 14 year career in Congress, she returned to the field of education.