Pauli Murray Analysis

A Protest For A Better World

Pauli Murray held multiple positions during her life; activist, lawyer, priest, and poet. In her 1989 autobiography titled, Pauli Murray: The Autobiography of a Black Activist, Feminist, Lawyer, Priest and Poet, Murray narrates her life’s mission. Murray’s work is remarkable as it is viewed as a persistent fight against oppression and injustice. As an African American woman growing up during the early twentieth century, Murray faced discrimination such as Jim and Jane Crow head on. Murray connected with the countless amount of other people who were not represented equally in America during this time. What makes Murray extraordinary is that unlike the many that came before her, Murray made change happen. Murray

As she became older and more educated, Murray refused to attend a segregated college. Murray claimed that this was her first open position against discrimination. Murray continuously grew more overt in her activities, not just against Jim Crow, but with gender inequality in America. Murray had a drive to attend the prestigious Columbia University, but had to accept the current reality of America when she was informed that no women were accepted there. This was the first introduction Murray had with “Jane Crow”. Murray uses the term “Jane Crow” to describe the “evil of antifeminism” and she made the connections that African Americans and women were fighting a similar conflict when it came to equal human rights. As Murray began to see more and more oppression and discrimination, she would begin to respond in more intense

Throughout the subsequent years following her arrest in Virginia, Murray would face additional oppression. In the face of adversity, Murray continuously protested by participating in protests of restaurants in downtown Washington while attending Howard University Law School. At first, Murray was simply a participant there, but she insisted on doing more for the movement by serving as a student adviser. This began the evolution of Pauli Murray from a member into a forerunner in protests countering discrimination. During the process to integrate Washington’s downtown restaurants, Murray accomplished success and failure simultaneously. While Murray’s formation of protestors eventually received service at the restaurant, they were instructed to refrain from protesting afterwards. This message did not resonate amicably with Murray who had a determination to continue her non-violent methods with the sit in. Murray was beginning to gain more and more confidence with her protests as her sit in was an overall triumph; she was now ready to take on more leadership