Item Information
Title
Letter from Pauli Murray to June and Lee Kessler, 21 April 1978
Creator
Murray, Pauli
Source
in the Daniel H. Pollitt Papers #5498, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Date
April 21, 1978
Contributor
Murray, Pauli
Rights
https://rightsstatements.org/page/CNE/1.0/?language=en
Type
Text
Text
Pauli Murray
Friday a.m. April 21, 1978
Dear June and Lee:
In the midst of all this heartache which we share – I cried when I played back the tape of my end of the telephone conversation with Ferebee Taylor(decided it was best to have an accurate record of what I said so that it could not be distorted in translation) -- there is this wonderful note of humor. Last night after talking with June I went back and reread the file on the UNC Commencement – a separate file, of course, from the one on the HEW-UNC controversy. In paragraph 3 of Joel R. Williamson’s wonderfully perspective letter of recommendation to Professor J. Carlyle Sitterson, Ch. Of Honorary Degrees(10-10-76), there occurs the following typo: “. . .Pauli Murray is also an author and poet. Her first book, Proud Shoes, recounts her family history and unbringing in h er grandparents’ household in Durham. . . .” (emphasis supplied). . . .!?!$#@!
Do you suppose it is my “unbringing” which is shaking Lee’s applecart?
Let me tell you something beautifully poignant about Ferebee Taylor. Born in Oxford, NC, he came to UNC Chapel Hill in September 1938, a wide-eyed freshman. He has the thrill of witnessing the President of the USA receive an honorary degree and make a speech calling upon the youth to carry forward the principles of democracy and freedom in the face of growing fascism. This was followed immediately by the UNC-PM controversy which called into question the “liberal tradition” of UNC which FDR has just hailed. Upon graduation he served in the US armed forces in world war II, and wound up in Germany at the time of liberation in 1945.(See;Holocaust, and you know what he suffered.)
Beneath his reserved businesslike exterior is a sensitive “Episcopalian” heart which takes seriously the meanings of that stately Elizabethan English in the Book of Common Prayer. Quietly, since his return from World War II he has been trying to do his bit to make democracy and human rights grow and flourish. And during his Chancellorship at UNC there is evident growth in affirmative action for both minorities and women – not as much as some of us would want – but certainly unmistakable progress – as June said, enough to celebrate.
-2-
Finally, he had a chance to do something about that UNC “error” of 1938, when the recommendation for an honorary degree to PM surfaced. He had the joy of informing PM officially about the decision. And he cried—I said cried—when he received PM’s letter of response. “Peaches” Dunlap has probably read that letter and can tell you what it said. PM cried when she wrote her letter of April 16 requesting delay of conferment of the degree until Commencement 1979 – she even wrote in her first draft 1939, indicating how deeply the past was engraved on both of their hearts. . . .
The irony of history for both of them was that although the degree was being awarded to an individual on merit, and the particular institution had reason to be proud of both its tradition and its progress in human rights – neither was free of the past and the present and the groups with which they were respectively identified. PM had to bring the whole “blooming colored race” (British cuss word) into the act – Jim Hunt the Governor who was also to receive a degree on May 14, the Wilmington 10, the Stephens Corporation anti-labor policies, the fight to prevent a School of Labor and Industrial Relations from being established at NCCU, the fact that less than 1500 Whites students were attending the 5 historically Black NC universities, that 91+ per cent of each racial group is still encapsulated in its own little racial campus; the question what was honorable and right in this situation; the reflection that Mary Ruffin Smith did what she thought was right, even tho her descendants(collateral) may have disagreed; the fact that Grandmother Cornelia used to say “Right is right and right don’t wrong nobody!” What PM wanted most from N.C. she had to risk for a principle which transcended her own personal vanity and desire for recognition. What Ferebee Taylor had labored for for 40 years and thought would be consummated symbolically on May 14, had to be postponed, and for all his persuasive powers – and he was persuasive; the tape shows there were tears in PM’s voice as she said over and over again, “There’s just no way; I have to live with myself; I have to do what is right so I can sleep at night; we’re in this thing together – I'm on both sides of this fight, split right down the middle . . .”
Lee Kessler, dear sister writer and “unexpected Irisher”, you’ve got the makings of drama – your novel is right under your nose! Add to this G.T.Cole, the descendant of the “poor white”(?) class, or at least the foreman class, who inherits the home of the Southern white aristocrat and holds onto the symbols of this once proud class even though the documents are probably legally the property of the descendants of the four “Smith daughters” who, under MRS Last Will and Testament were/are entitled to her personal affects. It is arguable that those documents are part of MRS personal estate, but I’d rather GT Cole give them to me voluntarily. I have never sued anybody in my life – although I’m said to be a top-flight lawyer’s lawyer(the theory of a case rather than the details);
-3-
And I don’t want to start now with GT Cole. There must be another way!
All of this calls for a combination of Quaker-Hebrew-Episcopalian prayers so that the Lord God Almighty understands that we “Miriams” are taking over from Moses for awhile. In that connection, you both and anybody else who wants to come are invited to join in the sharing of the Eucharist – the breaking of bread and drinking of wine – the ancient Jewish love feast – on Sunday, May 14 at St. Philip’s in Durham. The text for the day – Whitsunday; Pentecost(sp./) has to do with speaking in many tongues and those rough Galileans who had been followers of Jesus of Nazareth were able to make each person understand in his own native language. I haven’t written the sermon yet, but it is tailor-made for the third angle of the Chapel Hill-Raleigh-Durham triangle. Pray that God will give me health and strength to be there in Durham at 11 a.m.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if in Commencement 1979, the President of the USA – having finally won decisive public confidence – would be part of an experiment in cross-pollonization of Baptists and Episcopalians fertilized by Judaic-Quaker-etc. Etc. Traditions – and the “secular saints” would come marching in to receive their earned and honoris causus(sp.?) degrees – all in the family?
(standing on my head)
Much love ---
Pauli
The Pixie Priest
PS If both of you want copies of this letter, suggest xerox. Lee, did I ever tell you that almost two years or more ago I privately decided that if anybody wrote my biography during my own life-time, I would want that biographer to be Lee Kessler? Don’t blush – you are a perceptive writer “and it takes one to spot one.”
Friday a.m. April 21, 1978
Dear June and Lee:
In the midst of all this heartache which we share – I cried when I played back the tape of my end of the telephone conversation with Ferebee Taylor(decided it was best to have an accurate record of what I said so that it could not be distorted in translation) -- there is this wonderful note of humor. Last night after talking with June I went back and reread the file on the UNC Commencement – a separate file, of course, from the one on the HEW-UNC controversy. In paragraph 3 of Joel R. Williamson’s wonderfully perspective letter of recommendation to Professor J. Carlyle Sitterson, Ch. Of Honorary Degrees(10-10-76), there occurs the following typo: “. . .Pauli Murray is also an author and poet. Her first book, Proud Shoes, recounts her family history and unbringing in h er grandparents’ household in Durham. . . .” (emphasis supplied). . . .!?!$#@!
Do you suppose it is my “unbringing” which is shaking Lee’s applecart?
Let me tell you something beautifully poignant about Ferebee Taylor. Born in Oxford, NC, he came to UNC Chapel Hill in September 1938, a wide-eyed freshman. He has the thrill of witnessing the President of the USA receive an honorary degree and make a speech calling upon the youth to carry forward the principles of democracy and freedom in the face of growing fascism. This was followed immediately by the UNC-PM controversy which called into question the “liberal tradition” of UNC which FDR has just hailed. Upon graduation he served in the US armed forces in world war II, and wound up in Germany at the time of liberation in 1945.(See;Holocaust, and you know what he suffered.)
Beneath his reserved businesslike exterior is a sensitive “Episcopalian” heart which takes seriously the meanings of that stately Elizabethan English in the Book of Common Prayer. Quietly, since his return from World War II he has been trying to do his bit to make democracy and human rights grow and flourish. And during his Chancellorship at UNC there is evident growth in affirmative action for both minorities and women – not as much as some of us would want – but certainly unmistakable progress – as June said, enough to celebrate.
-2-
Finally, he had a chance to do something about that UNC “error” of 1938, when the recommendation for an honorary degree to PM surfaced. He had the joy of informing PM officially about the decision. And he cried—I said cried—when he received PM’s letter of response. “Peaches” Dunlap has probably read that letter and can tell you what it said. PM cried when she wrote her letter of April 16 requesting delay of conferment of the degree until Commencement 1979 – she even wrote in her first draft 1939, indicating how deeply the past was engraved on both of their hearts. . . .
The irony of history for both of them was that although the degree was being awarded to an individual on merit, and the particular institution had reason to be proud of both its tradition and its progress in human rights – neither was free of the past and the present and the groups with which they were respectively identified. PM had to bring the whole “blooming colored race” (British cuss word) into the act – Jim Hunt the Governor who was also to receive a degree on May 14, the Wilmington 10, the Stephens Corporation anti-labor policies, the fight to prevent a School of Labor and Industrial Relations from being established at NCCU, the fact that less than 1500 Whites students were attending the 5 historically Black NC universities, that 91+ per cent of each racial group is still encapsulated in its own little racial campus; the question what was honorable and right in this situation; the reflection that Mary Ruffin Smith did what she thought was right, even tho her descendants(collateral) may have disagreed; the fact that Grandmother Cornelia used to say “Right is right and right don’t wrong nobody!” What PM wanted most from N.C. she had to risk for a principle which transcended her own personal vanity and desire for recognition. What Ferebee Taylor had labored for for 40 years and thought would be consummated symbolically on May 14, had to be postponed, and for all his persuasive powers – and he was persuasive; the tape shows there were tears in PM’s voice as she said over and over again, “There’s just no way; I have to live with myself; I have to do what is right so I can sleep at night; we’re in this thing together – I'm on both sides of this fight, split right down the middle . . .”
Lee Kessler, dear sister writer and “unexpected Irisher”, you’ve got the makings of drama – your novel is right under your nose! Add to this G.T.Cole, the descendant of the “poor white”(?) class, or at least the foreman class, who inherits the home of the Southern white aristocrat and holds onto the symbols of this once proud class even though the documents are probably legally the property of the descendants of the four “Smith daughters” who, under MRS Last Will and Testament were/are entitled to her personal affects. It is arguable that those documents are part of MRS personal estate, but I’d rather GT Cole give them to me voluntarily. I have never sued anybody in my life – although I’m said to be a top-flight lawyer’s lawyer(the theory of a case rather than the details);
-3-
And I don’t want to start now with GT Cole. There must be another way!
All of this calls for a combination of Quaker-Hebrew-Episcopalian prayers so that the Lord God Almighty understands that we “Miriams” are taking over from Moses for awhile. In that connection, you both and anybody else who wants to come are invited to join in the sharing of the Eucharist – the breaking of bread and drinking of wine – the ancient Jewish love feast – on Sunday, May 14 at St. Philip’s in Durham. The text for the day – Whitsunday; Pentecost(sp./) has to do with speaking in many tongues and those rough Galileans who had been followers of Jesus of Nazareth were able to make each person understand in his own native language. I haven’t written the sermon yet, but it is tailor-made for the third angle of the Chapel Hill-Raleigh-Durham triangle. Pray that God will give me health and strength to be there in Durham at 11 a.m.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if in Commencement 1979, the President of the USA – having finally won decisive public confidence – would be part of an experiment in cross-pollonization of Baptists and Episcopalians fertilized by Judaic-Quaker-etc. Etc. Traditions – and the “secular saints” would come marching in to receive their earned and honoris causus(sp.?) degrees – all in the family?
(standing on my head)
Much love ---
Pauli
The Pixie Priest
PS If both of you want copies of this letter, suggest xerox. Lee, did I ever tell you that almost two years or more ago I privately decided that if anybody wrote my biography during my own life-time, I would want that biographer to be Lee Kessler? Don’t blush – you are a perceptive writer “and it takes one to spot one.”