The road to racial equality has been so challenging that African Americans usually delight in any promise of substantial progress. When Shirley Chisholm became the first black candidate for president in 1972, the audacity of the congresswoman’s bid to become both the first black and the first woman elected president inspired great excitement among African Americans. The boldness of Chisholm’s candidacy was heralded, even though there was no rational belief that the campaign would succeed. Full editorial