The
following is a statement by Congresswoman Barbara Lee
(D-CA)
commemorating Women�s History Month in 2009 and paying
tribute to the late Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm following
the unveiling of a portrait of Chisholm that is now�displayed
in the Capitol.
Abolitionist
and women�s rights activist Sojourner Truth once
said, �If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside
down all alone, these women together ought to be able
to turn it back, and get it right side up again!�
As
we celebrate Women�s History Month, let us reflect on
the generations of women who came before us and their
many contributions that have brought us to this place
in our history. Whether they were fighting for equal rights
and equal pay in the workplace, marching for voting rights
or working hard to provide for their families, we pause
to pay tribute to the many �sheroes� both known and unknown.
I
am pleased to pay tribute to my personal heroine and mentor
Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. This year, we celebrate
the 43rd Anniversary of Rep. Chisholm being elected as
the first African American Woman to the U.S. Congress.
A trailblazer, Rep. Chisholm was also a founding member
of the Congressional Black Caucus and the first woman
to vie for a major political party presidential nomination.
Portrait
of Rep. Chisholm by Kadir Nelson
She
had a profound impact on my life. Were it not for her
encouragement, I would not have registered to vote and
ultimately run for elected office. Along with many of
my women colleagues, I stand on her enduring shoulders.
As
we remember Rep. Chisholm and those great women of our
past, we also celebrate the promise of those women yet
unborn. That they may have even more opportunities than
we have because of the sacrifices, blood, sweat and tears
of the many women warriors who have and continue to fight
for justice and equality and who are working to turn the
world �right side up again.�
Women�s
History Month is celebrated in the United States every
year during the month of March.
BlackCommentator.com
Guest Commentator, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA)
is a forceful and progressive voice in Congress, dedicated
to social and economic justice, international peace, and
civil and human rights. Click here
to contact Ms. Lee.
