A politician, educator, and author, Chisholm was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1968, becoming the first Black woman in Congress. In 1972 she became the first Black person and first woman to run for the Democratic nomination for U.S. President—facing death threats and having to sue for inclusion in televised debates along the way. Throughout her career she worked to improve healthcare, social services, and education for people historically denied access to them.