Viola Davis To Play Shirley Chisholm, The First Black Woman In Congress

Last Friday was a special day, you guys - it would have been Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm’s birthday. And while you might not be too familiar with the role she's played in recent American history from this side of the Atlantic ocean, you'll soon be mega excited to find out all about it.

To mark the celebrated politician's day of birth, it was announced that EGOT-winner Viola Davis would play her in a highly anticipated film adaptation of her life. Cue the confetti ball emojis...

One trailblazer will be honouring another, as it was announced that after much speculation the Widows star will play the history-making U.S. representative Shirley Chisholm. The Fighting Shirley Chisholm, helmed by Amazon Studios and directed by Novitiate’s Maggie Betts, follows the politician's contentious rise to become the first black woman in Congress and the first to seek a major American political party’s nomination for president.

Despite the discrimination and backlash she received during her 1972 run for the Democratic nomination, Chisholm didn’t back down. She eventually lost to her white male counterpart, George McGovern, who then later was beaten by Richard Nixon, but Chisholm was thereafter heralded as an icon and a model for women hoping to break into politics.

Davis shared news of her upcoming role on Twitter with one of Chisholm's well known quotes: "If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair", Davis wrote. She added: "Love you Ms. Chisholm. Unbought and unbossed!!!"