I wonder if the creative team that brought Sincerely Yours, Pauli Murray to life a few years ago had any notion that, in just a short time, there would be forces in our beleaguered nation contemplating the dismantling of the very constitutional framework that sought to establish freedom and equality—namely, the 13th, 14th, 15th, and even the 19th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Yet, here we are.
Pauli Murray ca. 1935
In celebrating Pauli Murray—the rebel with a cause—we sing her name because she carried a fire within her: a driving desire to liberate herself and to take others with her. Her groundbreaking contributions to civil rights law reshaped our nation, transforming the lives of African Americans, of women, and, ultimately, of all of us.
I often wonder why Pauli Murray is not a household name like Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, or Angela Davis. We can see clearly now that she was ahead of her time. Her life—lived at the crossroads of race, sex, and gender identity—was intersectional before the word even existed. Was it her struggle with gender dysphoria that helped erase her from our collective memory? Was it because she crafted the very legal arguments that dismantled Plessy v. Ferguson and laid the foundation for Brown v. Board of Education? Or was it that she turned to God and became the first Black woman ordained a priest in the Episcopal Church?
Whatever the reasons, we are singing Pauli Murray back into history now—into women’s history, Black history, LGBTQ+ history—indeed, into American history.
Sincerely Yours, Pauli Murray is life-giving, essential art that connects us to our collective past. Through the vision of gifted composer Steve Milloy, Pauli’s story unfolds across genres—from ragtime and classical to gospel, blues, Tin Pan Alley, spirituals, and folk. Milloy composes through the decades of Pauli’s life, drawing on the sounds that shaped her world. The result is pure magic—a seamless weaving of story and song that captures Pauli’s courage, resilience, and unwavering determination to be the change she sought in the world.
Pauli Murray ca. 1980
As we live through these increasingly challenging times, the importance of reaching across all kinds of differences and diversities has never been more urgent. In performing of Sincerely Yours, Pauli Murray we hope to build bridges and bring people together in the spirit of the beloved community. The more people learn about Pauli, the more they understand the scope of her accomplishments and the depth of her humanity. Through live performances—enlivened by panels, symposia, and community reflections—we offer audiences a chance not just to learn about Pauli Murray, but to experience her spirit.
Steve Milloy and Kim Hines have created a monumental work of art, and art must be an integral part of our resistance movement. As the writer Hanif Abdurraqib reminds us, “performance is an expression of life and a means of survival.” I agree—and add that singing in community changes the air we breathe. By running sound through our bodies and carrying words we believe, we vibrate and move into action.
The final words of this choral cantata are a call to each of us: “Whatcha gonna do?”
As we honor this rebel with a cause—Pauli Murray—we are answering that question with our collective voices and our hearts.
Catherine Roma
WHC Founder & Artistic Director