Black History Month - Rev. Pauli Murray

 Pauli Murray (1910 - 1985) was a lawyer, activist, scholar, and writer who fought for civil rights, gender equality, and the rights of LGBTQ+ people. Her work helped shape landmark civil rights cases and movements. 

Civil rights 

• Challenged racial segregation in education and public transit 

• Helped shape arguments in Brown v. Board and Reed v. Reed 

• Participated in the civil rights movements of the 1960s 

Gender equality 

• Co-founded the National Organization for Women (NOW) 

• Was the first person to teach African-American Studies and Women's Studies at Brandeis University 

• Challenged the church's gender-based policies 

LGBTQ+ rights  

• Defended the rights of LGBTQ+ people 

• Refused to separate her identity of race, gender, and sexuality 

Other contributions 

• Wrote Proud Shoes: The Story of an American Family 

• Wrote about the power of words to harm or heal

• Wrote about the importance of hope for people who have endured slavery

• Murray became the first African American woman to be ordained as an Episcopal priest. She worked in a parish in Washington, D.C., based in ministry to the sick until her retirement in 1982.  

Murray's work continues to inspire scholars and activists today.