Today we’d like to introduce you to Rosita Stevens-Holsey.
Hi Rosita, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Mark Twain once said, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” As an educator nearing retirement, I should have known the path I would follow for the rest of my life, but I had failed to determine that. It was only about four years ago that I had an awakening moment in which I realized clearly why I was still on this earth. That epiphany occurred in Durham, NC, as I stood before the soon-to-be-open official Pauli Murray Center for History and Social Justice. Why was I there? What event had put me in a city, I had never visualized visiting? My niece agreed that she and I would make a sojourn to the 1898 home of the Fitzgeralds, our maternal ancestors.
Durham will always resonate in my mind and my heart. The first event we attended was a Pauli Murray celebration at Titus Episcopal Church,a small church of which my great aunts were founding members. I enjoyed the presentations by church dignitaries and learned just how much of an inspiration Aunt Pauli was to church elders and parishioners. Afterward, I felt like I was having an “out of body experience” as dozens of adults and children stood in a long line to talk with me. They wanted to talk about her writings, accomplishments, and life story – the things that had inspired them. Those people who had met her wanted to share their stories, and those who had never read about her were glad to touch me because I was not only related to her but knew her. I realized that throughout life, Aunt Pauli and I had had many conversations, spent quite a bit of time together, and talked about the family history in her first book “Proud Shoes,” I knew her only as my aunt.I did not know of her professional accomplishments and her brilliant legal theories. Many of the people I met had read books written by her or about her and had researched her life and writings much more than I had at that point. Aunt Pauli and I developed a unique closeness. Though we usually lived miles apart, I was a part of her Washington, DC, family headquarters, her home away from home. Each day in Durham, I became more enthralled with everything I encountered Pauli related. In this southern city, I discovered murals of her on the walls of buildings with her quotes, a historical marker indicating where her childhood home is, and information about her in official tourist brochures.
I was able to meet the hard-working project personnel and some of the volunteers who had been working on the Pauli Murray project for years. People are beginning to learn more about her through the many books others wrote and the reprinting of her books. Her story is inspiring to people because she was knocked down, held back, overlooked, ignored, and often forgotten throughout her life – “and nevertheless she persisted.” Many adults have been deeply influenced by her independence, perseverance, determination, and accomplishments. I’m very honored to be a niece of a poet, writer, educator, activist, lawyer, and Priest, Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray. When I stood in front of my family’s ancestral home, I became a different person with a different focus and purpose. I realized that as a family member, it would not only be an honor to help promote her legacy, but it was my responsibility to do so.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Hmmm, not so much. My book,The Life of a Pioneering Feminist & Civil Rights Activist was scheduled for release in November 2022, but because of the importance of the subject matter, our publisher, Little Bee Books, rescheduled the release for January 2022. Then because of supply chain issues, we were delayed until February 7th. Another challenge, due to Covid, was the extensive book tour that our publisher was planning, including book fairs, book signings, etc., had to be scrapped in favor of online platforms like Zoom. Unfortunately, online publicity was less effective than in-person meet and greets.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about Preserving Pauli Murray, LLC?
I set up my non-profit, Preserving Pauli Murray, LLC, in November 2021 because I want to preserve the memory of my aunt but, most importantly, educate people, particularly our youth, about this amazing, primarily unknown historical figure. Visitors who go to my website, www.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you, or support you?
My favorite type of communication is email. I can be reached at preservingpaulimurray@
Pricing:
- $18.99 for “Pauli Murray: The Life of a Pioneering Feminist & Civil Rights Activist”
- $25.00 (for the book and shipping and handling) for a sign
- ed copy of “Pauli Murray: The Life of a Pioneering Feminis
- t & Civil Rights Activist”
Contact Info:
- Website: www.preservingpaulimurray.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/preservingpaulimurray/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Preserving-Pauli-Murray-110091611510279
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