A Black Woman for President: Shirley Chisholm, Carol Moseley Braun, and Kamala Harris

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Dianna N. Watkins-Dickerson

A Black Woman for President

Shirley Chisholm, Carol Moseley Braun, and Kamala Harris

Dianna N. Watkins-Dickerson

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English

University Press of Mississippi
17 November 2025

Semantics; Gender studies: women; Ethnic studies; Black & Asian studies; Politics & government

Throughout US history, only three Black women—Shirley Chisholm, Carol Moseley Braun, and Kamala Harris—have given successfully recognized bids for the office of president of the United States. In A Black Woman for President, author Dianna N. Watkins-Dickerson uses womanist rhetorical criticism to analyze the presidential announcement speeches of Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun, and then-Senator Kamala Harris. In close readings of each candidate’s speeches, Watkins-Dickerson defines womanist rhetorical theory and its efficacy for researching Black female voices in the field of communication in general, and the presidential announcement speeches of Black women, specifically.

Beginning with Shirley Chisholm’s historic 1972 campaign as the first Black woman to run a viable campaign for the US presidency, the volume analyzes how Chisholm’s speech set a precedent for future generations of Black women in politics by boldly asserting her right to lead, despite the multiple barriers of race and gender. The study then moves to Carol Moseley Braun’s 2004 presidential announcement, exploring how Braun’s speech navigated the intersections of identity, representation, and political ambition during a time when Black women in the Senate were still a rarity. Finally, the analysis culminates with Kamala Harris’s 2020 presidential bid, focusing on how her rhetoric blended elements of Black feminist resistance and national unity in an era of heightened political and racial division.

The volume highlights the ways in which Chisholm, Braun, and Harris drew upon their lived experiences and cultural legacies to construct powerful, transformative narratives and argues that their speeches not only expanded the boundaries of political discourse but also reimagined the possibilities for leadership in America. Ultimately, this study provides a rich, interdisciplinary framework for understanding how Black women have reshaped the political landscape through the power of their words.

By: Dianna N. Watkins-Dickerson
Imprint: University Press of Mississippi
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm,
ISBN: 9781496859389
ISBN 10: 1496859383
Pages: 164
Publication Date: 17 November 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Further / Higher Education
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Acknowledgments Introduction: Beyond the Pulpit and the Pew: Searching for Womanist Rhetors on Political Platforms Chapter 1: Bringing a Purse to the Political Stage: Introducing Womanist Rhetorical Theory as a Metatheory for Communication Studies Chapter 2: ""Never Ask for Permission to Lead"": Reimagining Presidential Speeches Through Womanist Rhetorical Theory Chapter 3: ""I Ran Because Somebody Had to Do It First"": The Presidential Campaign Announcement Speech of Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm Chapter 4: ""Defining Myself . . . Is One of the Most Difficult Challenges I Face"": The Presidential Campaign Announcement Speech of Senator Carol Mosley Braun Chapter 5: ""Dreamers Cannot Afford to Sit Around"": The Presidential Campaign Announcement Speech of Senator Kamala Devi Harris Chapter 6: ""Daring to be Herself"": Using Black Women’s Presidential Campaign Speeches to Create a Theoretical Imperative to Shape the World and a Quasi-Optimistic Future References Index

Dianna N. Watkins-Dickerson studies rhetoric at the intersections of race, religion, gender, and politics from a womanist perspective. Her work primarily centers womanist rhetorical theory in relation to how Black women curate culturally specific discursive space.

Reviews for A Black Woman for President: Shirley Chisholm, Carol Moseley Braun, and Kamala Harris

""Timely and empowering, A Black Woman for President makes a significant addition to the literature and adds a new dimension to the study of Black female politicians."" - Mia Moody-Ramirez, professor and chair, Department of Journalism, Public Relations & New Media, Baylor University