Despite the fact that such a woman as Pauli Murray is unfamiliar to many contemporary people, this woman’s contribution to the history of the development of American democracy and social equality, in general, is very significant. This African-American became one of the few representatives of the struggle for freedom who managed to achieve considerable results and gain recognition in all the supreme boards of that time. Therefore, Pauli Murray is considered to be a genius and an effective advocate for civil and gender rights.
History of the Personality Formation
Since her childhood, Murray realized that she was not born the same as most of her peers. However, as Schulz remarks, she actively resisted the state system since her early age and, without knowing it, she was actively propagandistic. Perhaps, the life of this woman would have gone unnoticed for most African-Americans if it had not been for some events that radically influenced the formation of her personality. For instance, after she was not admitted to the university despite her excellent academic performance, Murray began to actively promote her idea to the masses and seek help from the Supreme Court. Another case that greatly influenced her activities was imprisonment because of the refusal to change the seat on the bus. All these infringements in the rights found a hard process in the person of Murray who, having matured, began to wage an active struggle against racial and gender inequality. According to Schulz, she “insisted on the indivisibility of her identity and experience as an African-American, a worker, and a woman.” Because of such intransigence, her private struggle became public, and the demands for compliance with constitutional norms became more extensive over time.
Achievements and Success
Despite an open confrontation with the government, Murray managed to gain authority from some respected personalities. In particular, Schulz mentions that she was in good terms with Eleanor Roosevelt who had a certain political weight. Also, as Murray’s career progressed, she became a close acquaintance of many people from the White House, and over time, all the ruling elites of the country knew the name of this African-American woman.
Since her education, Pauli Murray stood out among peers. She was the only girl in the class, and also one of the few who resisted any manifestations of racial inequality. Perhaps, that is why the woman decided to go to the church service by the end of her life. At the time of her childhood, it was out of the question since African-Americans were forbidden to occupy any managerial positions, including church ones. Nevertheless, Pauli Murray succeeded in not only becoming one of the parishioners but also getting the title of priest, becoming the first dark-skinned woman on this post. Despite the fact that she does not have the proper recognition today and is familiar, as a rule, to a narrow circle of people involved in the sphere of law, her name cannot be forgotten since too much was done by this woman in the name of equality and justice.
Conclusion
Thus, Pauli Murray can rightly be called a genius and an effective advocate for civil and gender rights. Her contribution to the development of American and the world democracy is significant and undeniable. The ideas put forward by this woman are relevant and completely legitimate today.
Work Cited
Schulz, Kathryn. “The Many Lives of Pauli Murray.” The New Yorker.2017, Web.