- May 5, 2024
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Guest speaker Nikesh Elise Williams, Democratic Women's Club President Agnes Lightfoot and Palm Coast City Council member Cathy Heighter with the trail marker. Photo by Sierra Williams
The Shirley Chisholm Trail plaque, located on Pine Lakes Parkway across from the golf course. It was unveiled in 2022 on Chisholm's birthday, Nov. 30. Photo by Sierra Williams
Guest speaker Nikesh Elise Williams and Democratic Women's Club President Agnes Lightfoot at the luncheon unveiling the Shirley Chisholm trail markers. Photo by Sierra Williams
The Democratic Women's Club of Flagler County, Council member Cathy Heighter and guest speaker Nikesh Elise Williams at the Shirley Chisholm trail marker. Photo by Sierra Williams
New trail markers have been added to the Shirley Chisholm Walking Trail on Pine Lakes Parkway.
The Democratic Women's Club of Flagler County and its Shirley Chisholm Standing Committee organized a luncheon Nov. 30 at the Pine Lakes Golf Club to unveil the markers.
The Palm Coast city government, in conjunction with the Democratic Women's Club, had renamed the Pine Lakes Walking Trail after Chisholm and installed a plaque on the trail memorializing the woman on Chisholm's birthday, Nov. 30, in 2022.
On Nov. 30 this year, to celebrate Chisholm's birthday and the one-year anniversary of the plaque installation, the Women's Club unveiled seven new trail markers, placed every half-mile along the Shirley Chisholm Trail.
During the luncheon, City Council member Cathy Heighter read a proclamation on behalf of the council declaring that November 2023 is officially designated as "Shirley Chisholm month."
"Chisholm stood firm in what she believed as a gifted leader," Heighter read from the proclamation. "[The trail] serves as a tribute to her trailblazing spirit, advocacy for equality and her profound impact on the community."
Chisholm was the first African American woman to be elected to Congress, and, in 1972, became the first woman and African American to run in the presidential election. Chisholm served in the House of Representatives from 1968-1983.
When Chisholm retired from Congress, she moved to Palm Coast in 1991. She lived here until she died on Jan. 3, 2005.
In 2015, then-President Barack Obama posthumously awarded Chisholm the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
The Democratic Women's Club also invited Nikesh Elise Williams to speak on Chisholm's life and impact on history. Williams is an author, a columnist with Jax Today in Jacksonville and a two-time Emmy Award-winning producer.
Williams said it took courage and perseverance for Chisholm to run for Congress and later the presidency in a time when black people were persecuted during the Civil Rights movement.
"What I do know is that answering the call and pursuing her purpose in public service, the answer to the question, 'What gave her the gumption?' is simply: She had no choice," Williams said. "If not her, then who?"
The women of America, she said, owe Chisholm a debt of gratitude for paving the way to being a woman in power.
Williams quoted Chisholm as once saying that if there is no room for someone at a table, "to bring a folding chair." But, Williams said, the "table of democracy" should seat everyone.
"I offer that the days of carrying our own folding chair to tables not meant for everyone, are over. It's time to build a new table," she said.
After the luncheon and presentations, the group walked across the street from the golf course to Chisholm's plaque to unveil the first marker, which features Chisholm's picture, a fact about her and a famous quote from her.
Heighter said at the luncheon that Chisholm was a "catalyst for change in America." Heighter said she would not be where she was today without Chisholm paving the way.
"Shirley was a pioneer who dared to believe that she could bring about change," Heighter said. "And she did."
