[2] Chissell lived in a three-story brick row house in northwest Baltimore, next door to Margaret Gregory Hawkins, her frequent collaborator.
[4][3] The group grew out of the Niagara Movement, first focusing on studying literature and the arts, but soon expanded to political and civic activities.
[5][3] The officers of the Dubois Circle hosted political meetings at their homes and churches, strategically pushing their agenda to allow women to vote.
[1] She also served as the chair of the Women's Cooperative Civic League, a grassroots organization which addressed issues of housing and public health, including food purity, clean air, and refuse disposal.
[1] Chissell continued her work through her leadership in the Cooperative Civic League into her eighties, chairing the committee that organized the annual Baltimore Flower Mart.
[1] Chissell's story, along with those of Estelle Young and Margaret Hawkins, was not a part of published textbooks and was revealed through the work of Beverly Carter, the archivist of the DuBois Circle.
[12] Chissell was one of the ten women recognized for their groundbreaking work within the state of Maryland, three others being Billie Holiday, Adrienne Rich, and Barbara Ann Mikulski.