Pauline "Pauli" Murray changed history. She held many titles in her lifetime. Pauli Murray wrote books and articles dealing with unfair treatment of race and gender. As a civil rights lawyer and activist, Pauli Murray had many obstacles dealing with people of other races even though she was mixed with black and white herself. Because of her effort to achieve justice for those treated unfairly, Pauli Murray won legendary awards and big trial cases. She never gave up hope and never stopped working to make all Americans equal. Pauli believed in equality for everyone.
Anna Pauline "Pauli" Murray was born November 20th, 1910, in Baltimore. After her mom dying in 1914 and her dad being sick, Pauli was orphaned at an early age along with her five brothers and her sister. She was raised in Durham, North Carolina by her maternal grandparents and an aunt. Pauli Murray learned to read in the first grade and started writing at an early age. After finishing high school, Pauli Murray eventually moved to New York, where she worked various jobs to finance her studies in. However, after the Wall Street Crash, unable to find work, Murray was forced to abandon her studies. In the 1930s, she worked as a teacher and wrote articles and poems published in various magazines. One of her novels, Angel of the Desert was serialized in the Carolina Times.
Even after graduating at the top of her class in both high school and college, Pauline Murray was still denied access to the University of North Carolina because of her race, and to Harvard University because of her gender. This inspired Pauli Murray to become involved in the civil rights movement, which also included people such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and Rosa Parks. In 1938, she began a campaign to enter the all-white University of North Carolina. Having support of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People(NAACP), her case received national publicity. It wasn't until 1951 that Floyd McKissick became the first African American to be accepted by the University of North Carolina. During this experience, Pauli Murray developed a life-long friendship with Eleanor Roosevelt.
After dying July 1st, 1985, Pauli Murray was an inspirational women, writer, poet, civil rights activist, lawyer, priest, feminist, teacher, and leader. She was also the first black woman in the U.S. to become an Episcopalian priest. With her actions, a numerous of missions were accomplished for mistreated people in America. Pauli Murray has changed the way African American women and women in general were perceived. She has pathe the way for women to be known for something bigger than life. Pauli Murray has also proved that no one or anything can stop you from achieving your rights and dreams. With her efforts, equality is not a fight but a right.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
NHD-Rough Draft
Posted by imyah ; s . ™ at 9:23 AM
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