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the LITERARY HILL A Compendium of Readers, Writers, Books, & Events by Karen Lyon vocate. Murray eventually earned a course of his curatorial career. A historian with a dislaw degree—and was the first Black tinguished reputation, he often found himself batperson to earn a doctorate in juriditling unsympathetic directors to maintain a scholcal science from Yale. Her groundarly anchor for the exhibitions he curated. This was breaking work at Howard Universiespecially true, he notes, as Federal support for muty in 1944 laid the foundation for the seums waned and administrators turned more and landmark Brown v Board of Educamore to corporations and wealthy donors who detion decision a decade later, although manded “celebratory” exhibits that presented a oneshe never got credit for it. sided “heroic view of history.” As a feminist and “a woman As a result, curators frequently “seized on dubi/ who felt herself a man / trapped / ous ideas simply because there was funding or shadin a woman’s body,” she was instrued scripts to avoid controversy.” Daniel contends that mental in ensuring that women were the Smithsonian’s reluctance to confront controversial included in the 1969 Civil Rights subjects not only demeaned museum staff but also deAct, and, with Betty Friedan, helped nied visitors the benefits of their scholarship and perfound NOW. She was a writer and mitted “dangerous mythology to fester.” He places the poet, but perhaps her most lasting blame squarely on “unlettered Smithsonian secretarlegacy is her legal work. “She enies, feckless museum directors, and meddling politisconced the laws / that would make cians,” who, he claims, have imperiled the mission of it possible / for each human’s rights the institution. Civil rights pioneer Pauli Murray is brought to life for young readers by to flourish,” the authors write. “She Despite his ongoing battles, Daniel displays a Rosita Stevens-Holsey and Terry Catasús Jennings. strove / to make a difference / for passion not only for presenting the complex and exthose who couldn’t advocate / for citing history of America to the public, but also for the A Thorn in Her Heart themselves.” This unsung but transformative voice hard work that goes into mounting an exhibition: the With a Black woman now slated to sit on the Supreme against discrimination of all kinds died in 1985 just collecting, collaborating, interviewing, and researchCourt, children today may have trouble grasping the shy of her 75th birthday. ing. His pathbreaking exhibitions—on American agriextent of the struggle that went before. In “Pauli MurRosita Stevens-Holsey is Murray’s niece and culture, music, and photography—represent a legacy ray: The Life of a Pioneering Feminist & Civil Rights a teacher who promotes her aunt’s legacy through of historical integrity and an eloquent rebuff to viActivist,” co-authors Rosita Stevens-Holsey and Terspeaking and personal appearances (www. ry Catasús Jennings provide middle schoolers with an paulimurraycenter.com). Terry Catasús introduction, written in verse, to a woman who helped Jennings is a local award-winning author pave the way. of children’s fiction, non-fiction, and factAnna Pauline Murray was born in Baltimore in based fiction (www.terrycjennings.com). 1910 and brought up by an aunt in North Carolina after the early death of her mother. Growing up in the Exhibit A Jim Crow south, Pauli, as she was known, became Next time you visit a Smithsonian Museum a firebrand for justice. “Jim Crow meant / humiliaexhibition, you might want to think about tion.,” the authors write. “Suffering / the degradation what went on behind the scenes to bring it / let Pauli understand the / injustice / and unfairness to fruition. In many cases, the process belies / of her lot. / That understanding would be / a thorn the appeal of the finished product. / she would always want to / pull from deep inside / In “Curating the American Past: A her heart.” Pete Daniel relates his Memoir of a Quarter Century at the SmithDespite her twin obstacles of race and gender, experiences as a former sonian National Museum of American curator at the National Murray persevered, with her passion and clear viHistory,” Pete Daniel exposes the wartsMuseum of American sion drawing helpful people to her, including EleaHistory in “Curating the and-all wrangling that took place over the nor Roosevelt, who became a lifelong friend and adAmerican Past.” 102 H HILLRAG.COM
