Shirley Chisholm, America’s first Black congresswoman, to be played by Regina King in Upcoming Bio Pic

King will also produce the film, directed by John Ridley

Published February 25, 2021

King will also produce the film, directed by John Ridley

Shirley Chisholm was a woman of "firsts": in 1969, the first black woman elected to the United States Congress, she served for 7 terms; in 1972, the first African-American candidate for a major party's nomination for President of the United States, and the first woman to run for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination.

Chisholm and her run for the Democratic Party's nomination will be portrayed by Oscar-, Golden Globe- and four-time Emmy-winner Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk,Watchmen) in the upcoming biopic Shirley, which will be written and directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker John Ridley (12 Years a Slave). The film will be produced by King and her sister Reina through their company Royal Ties Productions.

In a statement, Regina King has said “Shirley Chisholm’s fearless determination has been an inspiration to so many of us, and with this film we hope to inspire many generations to come. To collaborate once again with my friend and mentor, John Ridley, and the team at Participant, makes this decade-long journey even sweeter.”

On Shirley Chisholm's grave are the words "Unbought and Unbossed" and this film will give us “an intimate, behind-the-scenes portrait" of this incredible woman and "ground-breaking political leader".

No release date has been announced.