Pauli Murray's America Unit 12

Learning Objective:

Students will cite evidence to support whether they agree or disagree with Pauli Murray's strategy, which Murray proposed to Kennedy’s Commission on the Status of Women to advance the rights (and power) of women.

Key Civics Themes: 

• Foundations of United States Government: President Kennedy signed Executive Order 10980 to create the President's Commission on the Status of Women. Research the role of executive orders: how do executive orders interact with the separation of powers and checks and balances? What legal or political challenges have been raised against executive orders in the twenty-first century? 

• Rights and Responsibilities and the Role of the Individual: While serving on Kennedy’s Commission on the Status of Women, Pauli shared their belief that the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) would never be ratified if poor working women and Black women were included. What do you think? Prepare to debate what you believe: Work towards the passage of the ERA; or, argue for equal rights and treatment for women using the 14th Amendment.

• Power and Politics: By analyzing Murray’s position on the ERA, students can consider how legal frameworks and politics influence the pursuit of equity. How did Murray, and others, advocate for systemic change within existing power structures? 

• Active Engagement: Consider when the ERA was finally ratified. What are the next steps to adding the ERA as an Amendment to the U.S. Constitution? How can students participate in that process?

Activities:

• Pauli Murray served on President Kennedy’s Commission on the Status of Women from 1961-63 with Eleanor Roosevelt. Pauli argued in favor of using the 14th Amendment, not the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), to secure equal rights (and power) for women. Pauli asserted that the ERA would not be ratified if poor women and Black women were included.

  1. Read II. Pauli Murray’s ERA in Congress, 1970; and III. The Making of Pauli Murray’s Vision for the ERA from the Virginia Law Review article by Julie C. Suk, published January 29, 2021: https://virginialawreview.org/articles/a-dangerous-imbalance-pauli-murrays-equal-rights-amendment-and-the-path-to-equal-power/

  2. Have students prepare to debate what they believe would be effective today: work towards the passage of the ERA; or, argue for equal rights and treatment for women using the 14th Amendment. Students prepare three (3) supporting arguments for their position.

Suggestion: Arrange your student group to allow for one-on-one debates and encourage active listening skills by having students recast what they heard their partner state.

Active Engagement: Consider when the ERA was finally ratified. What are the next steps to adding the ERA as an Amendment to the U.S. Constitution? How can students participate in that process?