IMDb 7.1 2021 HD

My Name Is Pauli Murray

My Name Is Pauli Murray

2021
Documentary
91 min PG-13 USA
8.2 / 10
7.1 IMDB

Overlooked by history, Pauli Murray was a legal trailblazer whose ideas influenced RBG's fight for gender equality and Thurgood Marshall's landmark civil rights arguments. Featuring never-before-seen footage and…

Personnel // Cast & Crew

Director Betsy West / Julie Cohen
Starring
Patricia Bell-Scott / Dolores Chandler / Brittney Cooper / Sonia Pressman Fuentes / Ruth Bader Ginsburg / Tina Lu / Marghretta McBean / Ernest R. Myers

How Viewers Describe This Film

Common themes and sentiments

illuminating inspiring overdue complex profound revelatory important insightful thought-provoking vital compelling

Reviews

I
Isabelle Dubois
Mar 31, 2026
4.5 / 5
4.5

A truly revelatory viewing experience, ‘My Name Is Pauli Murray’ unearths a figure of immense intellect and foresight. The film’s approach is both scholarly and deeply personal, leveraging precious archival materials to give Murray a powerful voice. The…

L
Liam O'Connell
Mar 31, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

This is more than just a biographical documentary; it’s an excavation of a legacy. ‘My Name Is Pauli Murray’ compellingly argues for its subject’s rightful place in the pantheon of American progressives. The use of never-before-seen footage and…

S
Sophia Chen
Mar 31, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

‘My Name Is Pauli Murray’ serves as an important corrective, bringing the multifaceted genius of its subject to the forefront. The documentary’s strength lies in its generous use of personal archives, which offer an intimate window into Murray's…

M
Marcus Thorne
Mar 31, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

This documentary offers a compelling portrait of Pauli Murray, a figure whose contributions have been unjustly sidelined. The filmmakers have unearthed remarkable archival material, allowing Murray's own voice to resonate across the decades. The film effectively illustrates the…

E
Eleanor Vance
Mar 31, 2026
4.5 / 5
4.5

A vital and long overdue spotlight shines on Pauli Murray in this meticulously crafted documentary. The film eschews a dry recitation of facts, instead weaving a vibrant tapestry of a truly singular American. Through a masterful blend of…

FAQs

The documentary thoughtfully explores Pauli Murray's experiences as a Black individual navigating societal norms of their time, highlighting their identity as a non-binary person. It frames this aspect of their life not as a separate issue, but as intrinsically linked to their activism and legal thinking. By presenting Murray's full self – lawyer, activist, poet, priest, and person – the film underscores how their unique perspective, shaped by multiple facets of their identity, allowed them to challenge conventions and forge new paths in the fight for justice.