Pauli Murray and Caroline Ware: Forty Years of Letters in Black and White

Chapter 3. Family History, Global History

1 3 family history, global history While Murray struggled to perfect her family history, Ware’s life took a sudden turn when she was asked to undertake a very large, challenging responsibility as editor of the sixth volume of unesco’s History of Mankind : Cultural and Social Development, which would cover the twentieth century. Her first reaction, spelled out in a long letter to Helen Lockwood , had been that she simply did not have the knowledge or skill required. Both Lockwood and Gardiner Means thought otherwise, and after much soul-searching and long discussions with both of them, she was persuaded. She assured Lockwood that she would depend heavily upon her in the process, as she indeed did. Having agreed, Ware set forth on a systematic plan of attack. Travel, writing, and consultation in connection with the book would take up much of her time for the ensuing eleven years. In 1954 Harper managed to secure for Murray an invitation to the MacDowell Colony, in Peterborough, New Hampshire, which a√orded writers an opportunity to work on books in progress. She was able to go only after she completed the rest and recuperation from earlier surgery for which she had been admitted to the Freedmen’s Hospital. 1 Vienna, Virginia July 7, 1954 Dear Pauli I was sorry to learn from Mil∞ when I got home tonight, that Aunt Marie’s death had prevented you from completing your rest cure in the hospital (or else here) and had set you in motion for a couple of weeks to 1. Mil is Pauli Murray’s sister, Mildred Fearing. family history, global history 93 come. I had hoped to find you here when I got back and to have you on the farm for a few days before you go to the MacDowell community for freedom and creativity. What chance of your returning to the hospital or the farm? Mil reports that your surgical recovery was fine but that you didn’t really complete the process of rest and recuperation. You were so well started on the process when I left that I wish you had completed it for it is essential before you swing back to creative writing again. My schedule is now as follows: This week I shall be here and into the following. I am going to Boston whatever day the following week I can persuade my father to take o√ for the summer cottage on Cape Cod where my sister-in-law is. He will go for the weekend anyhow. I am trying to persuade him to go early and stay late, and I will stay as long as he will. Otherwise I shall be here working. I expect Dorothy Jackson and a friend of hers from Mt. Holyoke who is going to be the new owner of black dog Susie (now that Susie’s bastard pups are old enough to be separated). They should be here this week as Dorothy expected to sail for England next week, but I haven’t heard definitely and Dorothy may get on the next sailing instead of this one and come later. I shall be working on a variety of things—at the Pan American Union and getting the unesco history organized, chiefly. My vacation in the woods has set me up fine. What of Maida’s vacation? It would seem fine if you and she could spend a week or so at the farm before you go to MacDowell on August 1st. I hope that you don’t have duties relating to Aunt Marie’s a√airs that will keep you in Brooklyn and make you work when you should be resting. Does Aunt Marie’s departure simplify your Brooklyn household situation by making it unnecessary for Aunt Sally to go dashing o√ periodically? I hope it relieves you of some of the strain that you experienced between the time you were here in the spring and your return to Freedmen’s. Take care of yourself and let me know whether to expect you here in July. A√ectionately, Skipper Ware constantly encourages Pauli to make the most of her time at the MacDowell Colony to make progress on Proud Shoes, and to avoid going 94 family history, global history o√ on other tasks. She assures her that no one in New Hampshire will be put o√ by her brown skin. 1 New Virginia August 10...