Pauli Murray was a remarkable figure whose legacy crosses the boundaries of law, civil rights, feminism, and religion. A deeply intellectual and resilient individual, Murray broke barriers in multiple arenas where few others dared to tread. As a lawyer, writer, activist, and eventually an ordained Episcopal priest, Pauli Murray helped shape critical legal arguments that influenced the U.S. Supreme Court, inspired generations of civil rights activists, and contributed to advancing gender equality. Understanding who Pauli Murray was means delving into a life that defied conventions and fought relentlessly for justice.
Early Life and Education
Pauli Murray was born Anna Pauline Murray on November 20, 1910, in Baltimore, Maryland. After the death of her mother, she was raised by her aunt in Durham, North Carolina. Despite facing poverty, racism, and the trauma of losing her parents at a young age, she excelled academically. Her determination to succeed led her to Hunter College in New York, where she graduated in 1933.
Murray’s early experiences with racial and gender discrimination deeply informed her activism. She applied to the University of North Carolina’s graduate program in 1938 and was denied admission due to her race. This became a public case, drawing the attention of civil rights organizations. Although unsuccessful, the experience helped solidify her commitment to fighting institutional injustice.
Legal Career and Civil Rights Advocacy
Murray’s desire to challenge segregation and discrimination through the law led her to Howard University School of Law, where she was the only woman in her class. Graduating first in her class in 1944, she was denied entry into Harvard Law School for a postgraduate fellowship solely because of her gender.
Impact on Civil Rights Law
Pauli Murray’s most significant contributions came from her groundbreaking legal theories. She co-authored a legal argument that directly influenced Thurgood Marshall and the landmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court case, which struck down racial segregation in public schools. Her concept of Jane Crow a term she used to describe the dual discrimination faced by Black women due to both race and gender was pioneering and became a framework for intersectional feminism decades before the term was popularized.
Contributions to the NAACP and Legal Thought
Murray worked with the NAACP and other civil rights organizations but was often overlooked due to gender biases. Despite this, her writings became foundational. Her 1950 book, States’ Laws on Race and Color, was hailed by Thurgood Marshall as the bible for civil rights litigators. The book documented state segregation laws and was instrumental in legal strategies against racial discrimination.
Feminist Advocacy and Women’s Rights
In the 1960s and 1970s, Pauli Murray shifted more of her focus toward women’s rights. She co-founded the National Organization for Women (NOW) alongside figures like Betty Friedan, though her contributions were again often minimized. Murray’s earlier work on civil rights provided a template for arguments used in gender equality cases.
Influence on Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Pauli Murray’s work was directly cited by Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in a landmark case on gender discrimination, Reed v. Reed (1971). Ginsburg listed Murray as a co-author in her brief, acknowledging the intellectual debt owed to her legal theories. This recognition posthumously elevated Murray’s status as a legal scholar whose ideas had lasting impact on American jurisprudence.
Ordination and Religious Life
In a dramatic and inspiring turn late in life, Pauli Murray became the first African-American woman ordained as an Episcopal priest in 1977. This was a deeply personal journey, connecting her advocacy with spiritual service. Her ordination reflected her lifelong commitment to inclusion and human dignity. It was also a continuation of her challenge to barriers that excluded women and people of color from full participation in American institutions.
Literary Contributions and Legacy
Murray was also a talented writer and poet. Her memoir, Proud Shoes: The Story of an American Family, traces her family history and examines the complexities of race and identity in America. She also wrote poetry that explored themes of justice, loss, and perseverance.
Her contributions were not fully appreciated during her lifetime, but recognition has grown in recent years. In 2012, Yale University named one of its residential colleges after Pauli Murray, making her the first Black person and the first woman so honored. She has also been the subject of documentaries and scholarly work that explore her multifaceted life and influence.
Pauli Murray’s Intersectional Legacy
Understanding who Pauli Murray was requires acknowledging her role at the intersections of race, gender, and class. Her legal mind, spiritual conviction, and relentless pursuit of justice place her among the most significant American thinkers and activists of the 20th century. She did not fit neatly into any one category, which is part of what makes her so powerful and enduring. As a Black, queer, feminist legal scholar, she anticipated movements and ideas that would not gain prominence until decades later.
- Trailblazer in civil rights law and anti-discrimination legal theory
- Key contributor to gender equality and the foundation of NOW
- First African-American female Episcopal priest
- Mentor and inspiration for future legal icons like Ruth Bader Ginsburg
- Author and chronicler of African-American experiences and identity
Pauli Murray’s life is a testament to courage, intellect, and perseverance. She consistently stood on the front lines of justice, whether in courtrooms, classrooms, pulpits, or protests. Though often sidelined during her lifetime, her ideas and actions have become central to modern understandings of equality and human rights. Today, Murray is celebrated not only for what she achieved but also for the paths she made possible for others to follow. Her legacy lives on in the laws she helped shape, the lives she inspired, and the many battles for justice that continue in her spirit.