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Letter from Pauli Murray to Frank Porter Graham

Letter from Pauli Murray to Frank Porter Graham

Item Information

Title

Letter from Pauli Murray to Frank Porter Graham

Creator

Murray, Pauli

Source

Records of the Office of the President, Frank Porter Graham, University Archives (#40007)

Date

February 6, 1939

Type

Text

Text

225 W. 110 Street
Apartment 5
New York, N.Y.

February 6, 1939

Dr. Frank P. Graham, President
University of North Carolina
Durham, N.C.

My dear Dr. Graham:

I appreciate your very fine letter of February 3rd, and in fairness to those who hold your point of view am releasing it to the Negro press.

The issues which you have raised extend beyond the walls of the classroom and will require further study on the part of those who seek the best possible solution to the problem.

 This much is certain, however. That the Constitution of North Carolina is inconsistent with the Constitution of the United States and should be changed to meet the ideals set forth by the first citizens of our country. How this change can be brought about, and what the consequences will be is a vital question which cannot be tampered with.

We of the younger generation cannot compromise with our ideals of human equality. We have seen the consequences of such compromises in the bloody pages of human history, and we must hold fast, using all of our passion and our reason.

I am making a study of the Report of the Governor’s Commission and will comment upon it at a later date.

Very sincerely,
Pauli Murray