Hope is a Song in a Weary Throat

“Hope is a song in a weary throat.” These words, along with a picture of their author, the Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray, will grace the reverse side of a quarter to be minted in 2024 as part of a series of quarters honoring American women. Anna Pauline Murray (1910-1985) was an American civil and gender rights activist, scholar, poet, writer, lawyer, and Episcopal priest. She was an activist for civil rights before and during the Civil Rights Movement and, as an icon for women’s rights, was a co-founder of the National Organization for Women.

The words “Hope is a song in a weary throat” are one line...