Year of production : 2004 Format : Feature Running time : 75 (in minutes)
The film recounts the exciting presidential campaign of Shirley Chisholm, the first woman and the first African American to run for president.
A documentary about Brooklyn (New York's Twelfth District) Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm's campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1972. The First Black Congresswoman was the First Woman to Run for President.
Directed and produced by Shola Lynch
USA, 2004, Documentary, 75 min.
Director of Photography : Sandi Sissel
Premiere Date: February 7, 2005
1972 was an extraordinary year. Richard Nixon was president, running for his second, ill-fated term. The voting age had just changed from 21 to 18, and millions of new voters were expected at the polls. The Vietnam War was in full swing, as were anti-war protests, a burgeoning women's movement, and the rise of the Black Panther Party. Into the center of this maelstrom - shocking the conventional political wisdom - stepped Shirley Chisholm, a determined, rather prim and unapologetically liberal black woman with a powerful message: Exercise the full measure of your citizenship and vote.
Walter Cronkite Announcing her candidacy for president on the evening news, Walter Cronkite quipped, "A new hat - rather a bonnet - was tossed into the presidential race today." As revealed in Chisholm'72 - Unbought & Unbossed, a new feature documentary having its world broadcast premiere on public television's POV series, this first-ever run by a woman and person of color for presidential nomination was no laughing matter. Nor was it a polite exercise in symbolic electioneering. The New York Democratic congresswoman's bid engendered strong, and sometimes bigoted opposition, setting off currents that affect American politics and social perceptions to this day. Shirley Chisholm died at the age of 80 on January 1, 2005, at her home in Florida.
Featuring stirring archival footage, period music, interviews with supporters, opponents and observers, and Chisholm's own commentary - then and now - Chisholm'72 is a remarkable recollection of a campaign that broke new ground in politics, and truly reached out to'the people.' Among those interviewed are author/activist Amiri Baraka (then known as LeRoi Jones), Black Panther founder Bobby Seale, authors Susan Brownmiller and Octavia Butler, former Congressmen Reverend Walter Fauntroy and Ronald Dellums, and journalist/historian Paula Giddings.
Shirley Chisholm at Brooklyn's Concord Baptist Church, January 25, 1972.Chisholm championed the causes of the poor, the young, minorities, gays, women, and other marginalized Americans. In doing so, she prefigured Jesse Jackson's Rainbow Coalition campaigns, not only in substance but in style. Chisholm saw the presidential race itself as an opportunity to draw people to politics who traditionally did not participate. In her words, "I ran for the presidency, despite hopeless odds, to demonstrate sheer will and refusal to accept the status quo." In a race with 12 other candidates, Chisholm's ultimate goal was to reach the Democratic National Convention in 1972 with a strong show of support.
At a time when Americans were just beginning to contemplate the possibility of a black man running for president, Chisholm was black and female. Chisholm'72 describes her formative years, from modest roots in Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood and a childhood in Barbados, to winning election to the New York State Assembly and then, in 1968, to become the first black woman ever elected to the U.S. Congress. Although she was no stranger to controversy, the documentary reveals the visceral opposition and blatant disregard to the Congresswoman's candidacy that came from the establishment and the media.
Many reporters assumed she had no chance of winning and felt she was a spoiler. Feminists, who agreed entirely with Chisholm's politics, preferred a different strategy, looking to Senator George McGovern as the realistic Democratic candidate. (McGovern eventually won the nomination.)
Chisholm supporters at the 1972 Democratic National Convention All the while, Chisholm remained the "Unbought and Unbossed" candidate, poised and determined to direct the debate and news coverage of her candidacy to her stands on education, employment, health care, and the rights of minorities, women, and gays to full participation in American life. She won a Federal Court order to break the front-runners' lock on televised debates, winning the chance to talk directly to a national television audience. Chisholm, in fact, struck a populist progressive chord with many Americans. Managing surprisingly strong showings in some state primaries, she carried 151 delegates at the severely divided 1972 Democratic Convention in Miami and won the right to speak from the main podium.
"I had something important to explain," recalled Chisholm about her historic speech. "I ran because somebody had to do it first. I ran because most people thought the country was not ready for a black candidate, not ready for a woman candidate. Someday - it was time in 1972 to make that someday come."
Chisholm'72 recaptures the times and spirit of a watershed event in American politics, when a black woman dared to take an equal place on the presidential dais.
"Our goal was to make a documentary as passionate and powerful as Chisholm herself," says director and co-producer Shola Lynch. "Her story is an important reminder of the power of a dedicated individual to make a difference." It also reminds us that the country belongs to each of us only if we dare to claim our place in it.
Buy the Film
For home use amazon.com
For educational use Women Make Movies (212) 925-0606 x360
Director and Producer Shola Lynch
Producer Phil Bertelsen
Editor Sam Pollard and Sikay Tang
Director of Photography Sandi Sissel
Executive Producer Ramon Hervey
Associate Producer Becca Bender
Composer Barry Eastmond
Consulting Producer Orlando Bagwell
Board of Advisors Darren Aronofsky Ken Burns Dayton Duncan Lisa Heller William Miles Peter Miller Kendall Reid
Academic Consultants Dan T. Carter Susan Duffy Paula Giddings Bruce Schulman
Outreach Coordinator Michelle Materre
Interviews Shirley Chisholm and Tom Asher Amiri Baraka Susan Brownmiller Octavia Butler Conrad Chisholm Ronald Dellums Shirley Downs Reverend Walter Fauntroy Muriel Forde Sandra Gaines Paula Giddings Alice Hastings Barbara Lee James Richardson Wilson Rifes Victor Robles Arlie Scott Bobby Seale Carolyn Smith Jules Witcover
Second Camera Gisselle Chamma Kira Kelly Bernard Sissel
Location Sound Recordist Phil Bertelsen
Off Line Edit Facility Valkhn Film And Video
On Line Editor Julie Farol
On Line Edit Facility ARC pictures, NYC
Sound Editor and Designer Kevin Wilson
Motion Graphics and Title Design Missing Pixel
Production Assistant Ted Carpenter Joe Kilcullen Janaya Williams
Interns Dana Bingham Tosin Dyefesobi Lauren Thomas Rina Varughese
Accounting Services Nancy Gallagher, Diaferia and Knice
Bookkeeper Katherine Belsey Davis
Insurance Broker England Insurance
Legal Counsel L. Jeff Walker / Walker and White LLP David Lubell / Tanner Prop LLP
Transcription Services Helping Hands The Typettes
Travel Agent Rigmor Newman / Altour International
Public Relations Falco Ink
Archival Sources Bob Denby and Tom Werner Peter Lilienthal
Special Thanks Bart and Kim Gallagher Big Mouth Productions Black Documentary Collective Florentine Films ROJA Productions Audrey Adams Eva Nagorski Eric Richardson Lisa Oberhofer St. Claire Bourne Uli Pfau Drs. Pat and Robert Carey Ken San Salvador Lewis Erskine Michael Sanden / The Casements of Orchard Beach, Fl. Nelda Gil Gloria Steinem Isaac Hayes Diana Marin Henry Renato Honeywell Angela Tucker Madison Davis Lacy John Williams
Barbados Ministry of Education Barbados Tourism Authority Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation Claude Graham Winifred Holder Ikaelf Itifara Ruth Phillips Residents of Christ Church Wendy Griffith Watson
Principal Clarkson Brewster / The Vauxhall Primary School, Barbados, WI Reverend Pierson Blackman / Congregation of Vauxhall Methodist Church And Our Family and Friends
Fiscal Sponsor Women Make Movies
Executive Producer for POV Cara Mertes
Executive Producer for ITVS Sally Jo Pfifer
Funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting a Private Corporation funded by the American People.
Additional Funding Provided By: New York State Council for the Arts Paul Robeson Fund For Independent Media Lucia Woods Lindley Rubin Foundation Vinmont Foundation And Camille and William Cosby Bette Midler Oprah Winfrey Halle Berry
Presented by Lantern Lane Entertainment
Produced in association with American Documentary, Inc., The Independent Television Service, and the National Black Programming Consortium
A Rock The Vote Film Partner
Music
"Shirley's Theme" and Score Composed and Produced by Barry Eastman Published by Melorie Music (ASCAP) East Bay Music, Inc.
"I Am Woman" Composed by Helen Reddy and Ray Burton Irving Music, Inc. / Buggerlugs Music Co. Performed by Helen Reddy Capital Records
"Slippin Into Darkness" Composed and Performed by War Universal/Polygram International Inc. Avenue Records
"Spread The Word" Composed by Latin Dantzler, Aja Grayton and War Universal/Polygram International, Inc. Performed by Kindred Hidden Beach Records
"Chisholm Trail" Composed and Performed by Unknown Chisholm Campaign Volunteer
"Walkin Proud" Sonoton Music Library Associated Production Music
Special Thanks DMG Music Clearance
REALside Productions is solely responsible for the program's content.
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