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Who is Shirley Chisholm, the woman a Florida walking trail is being named after?
A groundbreaking political figure is set to have a trail in Palm Coast named in her honor this month. Decades before President Barack Obama and Vice President Kamala Harris -- Shirley Chisholm broke history as the first Black person to run for president and was the first Black woman ever elected to Congress.
Palm Coast, Fla. - A groundbreaking political figure is set to have a trail in Palm Coast named in her honor this month.
It's only right that this designation for Shirley Chisholm comes in November when millions of Americans head to the polls for the election.
Searching through the state archives, you'll find a handful of pictures and grainy video of Chisholm on the campaign trail in Florida in 1972. "Anyone who has followed my political career knows very keenly, I'm an un-bought and un-bossed politician," said Chisholm to an audience of reporters.
Decades before President Barack Obama and Vice President Kamala Harris -- Chisholm broke history as the first Black person to run for president and was the first Black woman ever elected to Congress.
"One of my favorite quotes of hers is, ‘When they don't give you a seat at the table, you pull up a folding chair," said Jill Reynolds.
Reynolds with the Democratic Women's Club of Flagler County is part of the group working to honor Chisholm.
The political trailblazer retired in Palm Coast and at the end of November, a walking trail will be renamed in Chisholm's honor. As people walk along the trail, the group hopes you're reminded that history is around you and Chisholm's legacy of political activism continues today.
"In the modern political era, Black women have been one of the most reliable voting blocks," said Aubrey Jewett, UCF Professor.
According to University of Central Florida Professor Aubrey Jewett, it's also arguably one that's pretty powerful on both sides of the aisle.
"Helped flip those states from voting for Trump in 2016 to voting for Biden in 2020," said Jewett,."In 2018, Republican Governor Ron DeSantis won 4/10th of a percent and it was close. One group that helped sway the election according to polls were Black women who voted for him in slightly larger numbers than for other Republicans. The main reason according to analysis was because of [the issue of] school choice."
50 years after campaigning in Florida, Tuesday's ballots will include at least 109 women running for a state or federal office and 26 of them are Black women.
"Know who Shirley Chisholm was and how important she was. How many people she paved the way for - for others to follow her path," said Reynolds.
The renaming ceremony is set for Nov. 30, which would have been Chisholm's 98th birthday. It's at 10 a.m. at the golf course on Pine Lakes Parkway. It's open to the public.