“
I sing of a new American
Separate from all others,
Yet enlarged and diminished by all others.
I am the child of kings and serfs, freemen and slaves,
Having neither superiors nor inferiors,
Progeny of all colors, all cultures, all systems, all beliefs.
I have been enslaved yet my spirit is unbound.
I have been cast aside, but I sparkle in the darkness.
I have been slain but live on in the rivers of history.
I seek no conquest, no wealth, no power, no revenge;
I seek only discovery.
On the illimitable heights and depths of my own being.”
Pauli Murray
Prophecy from Dark Testament and Other Poems
The Pauli Murray 
Center for History 
and Social Justice 
lifts up the life and 
legacy of activist, 
legal scholar, 
feminist, poet, and 
Episcopal priest, 
the Rev. Dr. Pauli 
Murray, in order to 
address enduring 
inequities and 
injustices.
Since its inception in 2012, the Pauli Murray Center for History and 
Social Justice (PMC) has grown from a community revitalization project 
and historic preservation effort, into its current state as an envoy for 
Rev. Dr. Murray’s legacy. Like Pauli Murray, we believe that history 
gives us an opportunity to discuss and address our collective present and future. 
As the PMC continues to move community-focused social justice work forward, the 
framework established by Rev. Dr. Murray serves as a guide and anchor.  
We, like Pauli Murray, feel compelled to challenge America in this moment to  “…be 
what she says she is” – the fulfillment of the values of freedom, equality, and justice. 
Pauli Murray was a consistent advocate from her/their youth and until her/their death. 
A lifetime of advocacy work spanned a changing political landscape, multiple social 
movements, and generations of students. We are honored to amplify Murray’s legacy. 
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