Celebrating Black Food Activism during Black History Month – Shirley Chisholm

Black History Month is to celebrate and remember all of the contributions Black people have made throughout history. At the Belfast Community Co-op, food and people are at the center of our mission. We recognize that we owe a lot to the Black scientists, innovators, and teachers that came before us – fighting to make food available to all. So this Black History Month, let us tell you about some people who were instrumental to strengthening our food systems.

Shirley Chisholm 

Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1924 to immigrant parents, Shirley Chisholm was raised with a strong sense of perseverance and determination. Though her teachers encouraged her to pursue politics, she initially dismissed the idea, citing the “double handicap” of being both Black and female. Instead, she began her career as a nursery school teacher and went on to earn a Master’s degree in early childhood education from Columbia University in 1951.

Driven by a deep awareness of racial and gender inequality, Chisholm became actively involved in civil rights organizations, including the League of Women Voters, the NAACP, and the Urban League. In 1964, she broke barriers by becoming the second African American elected to the New York State Legislature.

Just four years later, she made history as the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress, representing New York’s 12th District. Despite serving an urban district, Chisholm was assigned to the House Agriculture Committee, a position she leveraged to expand and protect food assistance programs. She played a crucial role in the creation of the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, which launched in 1974 to support low-income mothers and children with access to nutritious food, baby formula, diapers, and health services. In its first year, WIC served 88,000 participants; today, over 6 million people rely on it—including more than 18,000 annually in Maine.

Chisholm also helped pass the Agricultural and Consumer Protection Act, which laid the foundation for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), ensuring millions of families have access to food security. Beyond her contributions to food justice, she was a fierce advocate for racial and gender equality. One of her most famous quotes captures her dedication to public service:

“Service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living on this earth. It is the very purpose of life, and not something you do in your spare time.”

This Black History Month, as we reflect on the contributions of individuals like Shirley Chisholm, we are reminded of the power of collective action, the importance of fighting for equality, and the need to create sustainable food systems that serve all people. Let us honor their legacies by continuing to work toward a world where access to healthy, nourishing food is a right, not a privilege, and where the struggles of the past fuel our determination for a just future for all.

Everyone is welcome to shop at the Co-op; it is our mission and our pleasure to bring locally-sourced, reasonably priced, organic and natural products to all.

Owned by you. Food for all.