Where Barbara Lee Is Today: What To Know After Netflix’s Shirley Movie

Barbara Lee was a key figure in the new Netflix historical biopic Shirley. The film follows the true story of Shirley Chisholm’s historic 1972 U. S. presidential campaign. Chisholm became the first black American woman to run for President of the United States just one year after becoming the first black woman elected to Congress. As depicted in Shirley, Barabra Lee met Chisholm while she was on her campaign trail during the state primaries and joined Chisholm’s team soon after. Inspired by her time working with Chisholm, Lee began a political career of her own and appears at the end of Shirley.

Shirley has an outstanding cast led by Regina King, Lucas Hedges, Terrence Howard, Lance Reddick, and Regina’s real-life sister Reina King. Barbara Lee was portrayed by actress Christina Jackson, who is known for her roles in The Night House (2020), Devotion (2022), Outsiders (2016-2017), and Deception (2013). Lee supported Chisholm through all the campaigning and politics at the 1972 Democratic National Convention. As stated in Shirley’s end credits, Lee was elected to serve California’s 9th Congressional District in 1998, taking over for Ron Dellums. She is currently the highest-ranking black woman in Democratic leadership in Congress.

Lee Was Mentored By Chisholm & Worked With The Black Panthers

As depicted in the new Netflix film Shirley, Barabara Lee was greatly inspired by Shirley Chisholm’s 1972 presidential campaign and pursued a political career of her own after graduating from college. While she was working toward earning a Masters of Social Work from the University of California, Berkeley, specializing in psychiatric social work, Lee founded the Community Health Alliance for Neighborhood Growth and Education (CHANGE, Inc.) which provided mental health services to affected individuals in the greater San Francisco area. She joined the staff of Congressman Ron Dellums in 1975 as an intern and worked her way up to eventually taking his seat.

While she was still a student at UC Berkeley, Lee volunteered for the Black Panther Party in Oakland and actually assisted Black Panther co-founder Bobby Seale with his 1973 campaign for mayor of Oakland. As a result, she was monitored by the FBI for her association with the Black Panthers. Lee would go on to work in Dellums’ office for eleven years and became somewhat of a trailblazer herself, being one of the few black women to hold such a powerful position. According to the biography on Barbara Lee’s website, after leaving Dellums’ office, she founded a facilities management company in 1987 that grew to employ 500 people.

Lee Became The First Woman To Represent Northern California In The California State Legislature

Lee was elected to the State Senate in California in 1996 only to step down from the role in 1998 to take Dellums’ seat as a Congresswoman in a special election. According to her website, “As a California legislator, Congresswoman Lee authored 67 bills and resolutions that were signed into law by Republican Governor Pete Wilson. This legislation addressed a wide spectrum of issues, including public safety, education, healthcare, and environmental protections.“ Lee is considered an early champion of LGBTQ+ rights and became the first black woman who was ever elected to the State Senate from Northern California.

Barbara Lee officially became a Congresswoman in 1998, a prominent position that she has held since. When she was elected, she represented the 9th district of California, while today she represents the 12th. Like Chisholm, Lee was not afraid to stand alone and take chances on issues that she believed in, even if that could have potentially isolating results. Her website states, “In 2001, Congresswoman Lee received national attention as the only Member of Congress to oppose the authorization for the use of military force (AUMF) in the wake of the horrific events on September 11th. The Congresswoman believed this AUMF would become a blank check for endless war.“

Lee Campaigned For A United States Senate Seat In 2024

Congresswoman Lee campaigned to become a California Senator in the upcoming 2024 election with the intention of succeeding Diane Feinstein, who served from November 1992 until September 2023 and died last year. Lee was ultimately unsuccessful in earning a nomination for the vacant Senate chair in 2024, which will come down to either Democratic Representative Adam Schiff or Republican former Major League Baseball star Steve Garvey. Lee will continue to be a Congresswoman representing the 12th district of California. She briefly reflects on her inspirational experience with Shirley Chisholm at the end of Netflix’s Shirley.