The yearly list honors those women who are seen to be following in the footsteps of Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to the United States Congress. Chisholm served as representative for New York’s 12th congressional district from 1969 to 1983. She was also the first Black candidate to receive a major party’s nomination for President of the United States, and the first woman to receive the Democratic Party’s nomination.
This year’s Higher Heights’ 2020 Chisholm list featured well-known politicians such as Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and Congresswoman Val Demings – the woman who served as an impeachment manager in proceedings against President Trump. Mayor LaToya Cantrell was honored among other Black women mayors of top 100 cities, including Keisha Lance Bottoms of Atlanta, Lori Lightfoot of Chicago, London Breed of San Francisco, and Muriel Bowser of Washington, DC.
