Al Sharpton invoked the legacy of Shirley Chisholm while introducing Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) at the 2026 March on Washington. But does AOC’s political record justify that comparison?
In this Black Westchester commentary, Damon K. Jones examines Shirley Chisholm’s historic political legacy, AOC’s record in Congress, the racial household-income gap in New York’s 14th Congressional District, and a larger question about Black political power: What is Black America actually receiving from today’s progressive political coalitions?
We also examine Zohran Mamdani’s declaration that New York is a city “built by immigrants” and why that narrative does not fully represent the distinct history of Black Americans who descend from American slavery.
The conversation also looks back at Black women who made political history—including Shirley Chisholm, Dr. Lenora Fulani, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Barbara Jordan—and asks why their accomplishments should be protected rather than casually transferred to today’s political celebrities.
Finally, we revisit Malcolm X’s warning about the wolf and the fox and ask a provocative question:
Is Al Sharpton letting the fox into the Black political henhouse? We shall see.
Watch, comment, and tell us what you think:
Does AOC deserve to be compared to Shirley Chisholm?
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