Pauli Murray's Revolutionary Life - by Simki Kuznick

About the Book

"Well researched with careful detail; beautifully and thoughtfully written." -Carol Carter, actor and playwright

Book Synopsis

2023 IPNE Award Finalist, Young Adult

2022 Foreword INDIES Winner, Honorable Mention, Juvenile Nonfiction

Inspiring and timely, Pauli Murray's Revolutionary Life is the riveting story of an African American woman, born in 1910, who blazed through the barriers of race and gender decades before the Civil Rights and Women's Movements. Pauli Murray fearlessly rode freight trains dressed as a boy during the Great Depression and befriended First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt before embarking on a pioneering life of social activism, legal scholarship, and many firsts. In 1944, Pauli graduated first in her class at Howard University; in 1965, she was the first Black woman to earn a doctorate in law from Yale University; in 1966, she was a founder of NOW, the first National Organization for Women; and in 1977, Pauli was the first Black woman to be ordained as an Episcopal priest. Pauli never faced a barrier she couldn't smash through, and her life as a feminist, civil rights lawyer, poet, author, activist, and priest paved the way for all to live a life of equality and purpose.

Review Quotes

"A debut biography focuses on a civil rights activist, lawyer, and Episcopal priest. In this book, Kuznick tells the story of Pauli Murray (1910-1985), a Black trailblazer who graduated first in her class from Howard University Law School, helped found the National Organization for Women, and became an Episcopal priest as soon as the church approved the ordination of women... The book does an excellent job of presenting Murray's story in rich detail, and it is both entertaining and informative... Those looking for an introduction to Murray that is well written and touches on the many intersecting aspects of her activism and identity will find Kuznick's work a satisfying read. A compelling life story told in an engaging style."

-Kirkus Reviews

"Pauli Murray's Revolutionary Life is an intriguing primer not just about a potent political activist's lifelong adventures. The author's easy storytelling provides readers with an intimate tour-via this fascinating woman's daring experiences-of America's racist history and its heroic 20th century struggles for civil rights."

-Peter Laufer, University of Oregon journalism professor and author of Up Against the Wall: The Case for Opening the Mexican-American Border