How Did Pauli Murray Influence The Civil Rights Movement

Pauli Murray: Christian Activism from the Female Perspective

Bryson Wilson

Dr. Sarah Judson

HIST 307: Women in the Modern Civil Rights Movement

1 May 2023

Civil Rights movements, both present and past, have always shared strong influences and connections with religious movements, especially in the United States where freedom struggles and Christianity have always been closely connected. However, most of these movements and how they are remembered are dominated by male perspectives and leaders, who have very different experiences and struggles from women. One prominent female activist who revolutionized how we understand women, Christianity, activism, and how they all intersect was Pauli Murray, a lifelong Civil Rights activist, and

However, Murray viewed her life’s work as being “married to my movement,” or more accurately, movements. Many Christians perceive their life’s work to be in service of God through spiritual and moral integrity, service to others, and conformity to traditional Christian lifestyles. While Murray believed in many of the foundational principles of Christianity, she also viewed her role in the movement as one of her greatest services. This meant that Murray was not only involved in various liberation movements because of her self-interest and morals, but also because she viewed her involvement as her spiritual and religious duty and dedicated her life to service through activism. Additionally, Murray also stated that her life’s purpose has been for spiritual integration, meaning to build her life on continual worship and service to God. Murray perceived her spirituality and religion as taking priority over her activism but also used her religious beliefs to propel her involvement in various

This likely stemmed from her struggle with labeling involving her gender identity and preferences, in which she believed herself to have a “male gene” and had numerous long-lasting relationships with multiple women. Nevertheless, she also perceived identities as a way for marginalizing forces to abuse and adapt their presence to limit people claiming certain identities. Murray perceived identities in both a positive and negative light, understanding their value in unifying movements and recognizing intersectionality but also opposing them due to both her struggles and acknowledgment of external forces that would use them to further