Amidst a wave of changes, the National Park Service has removed a web page dedicated to Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray, a pivotal figure in human rights history, alongside many references to LGBTQ+ legacies. This action follows President Trump’s executive order that restricts government recognition to just two genders. Murray, a trailblazer as the first Black individual to earn a Yale Law doctorate, was not only a writer and priest but also a staunch feminist and LGBTQ activist.
Interestingly, the Pauli Murray Center for History and Social Justice embraces both she/her and they/them pronouns in discussions of Murray’s later life. They state, “We do not and can never know Murray’s gender identity — Pauli Murray described themself as a ‘he/she personality.’” This highlights Murray’s complex identity, including a request for hormone therapy and self-identification as a woman.
Angela Thorpe Mason, director of the Centre, expressed dismay at the Park Service’s decision, asserting, “We will not be deterred from uplifting Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray’s identity, life, and legacy.” Despite the removal of specific pages, a website detailing Murray’s former home in Durham’s Carroll Street remains available, ensuring a piece of her legacy continues to shine.
Having made significant contributions to the Civil Rights Movement, Murray’s influence extended to challenging segregation laws. The National Parks Conservation Association condemned the web page removals, including those of Murray, Marsha P. Johnson, and others, emphasizing the importance of LGBTQ+ narratives in American history. Alan Speakers, the association’s senior director for cultural resources, stated that these actions are an attempt to erase a vital part of the nation’s heritage, declaring, “Without their leadership, the United States of America might look very different today.”
The National Park Service has eliminated a web page about Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray amid a broader removal of LGBTQ+ references following President Trump’s directive about gender. This action has drawn criticism from the Pauli Murray Center for History and Social Justice, which vows to continue highlighting Murray’s multifaceted identity. Activists warn that such removals threaten the visibility of crucial LGBTQ+ narratives in American history.
This article underscores the troubling trend of erasing LGBTQ+ history from federal narratives, illustrated by the removal of Pauli Murray’s webpage from the National Park Service. Figures like Murray not only shaped civil rights movements but also challenged societal norms, and their stories are integral to American heritage. Despite these removals, efforts to preserve Murray’s legacy continue, affirming the importance of representing diverse identities in historical discourse.
Original Source: www.newsobserver.com
