Virgie Murray

Virgie Williams Murray was born on September 4, 1931, in Birmingham, Alabama, to Virgus Williams and Martha Miller-Williams. She accepted Christ at an early age and joined Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Birmingham. Virgie attended AH Parker High School, graduating in 1948. She married McKinley C. Murray and had a son, Charles Murray.

Her first foray into journalism was as a staff member of the Birmingham World, a Black newspaper in Birmingham. During her employment there, she covered the meetings and activities of the Civil Rights Movement. In 1964, during a junket to Los Angeles, Virgie met Mr. Leon Washington, founder and publisher of the Los Angeles Sentinel, the premier publication serving Los Angeles’ Black community.  Impressed with her gifts and skills, Mr. Washington immediately hired her to be the newspaper's religion editor. 

As religion editor, Virgie had the opportunity to befriend and collaborate with ministers and church leaders all over the city. Reporting on religion was a labor of love for her, and her job was highlighted by international travel to South Korea and the Holy Land. During her forty-two year journey as the religion editor, she received numerous awards and commendations. She retired from the Sentinel in 2006. During her retirement, she enjoyed traveling throughout the United States to visit her friends and relatives.

Mrs. Virgie Murray made her transition on September 9, 2020. She was preceded in death by her parents, sister, and brother. She is survived by her son, Charles Murray (Inglewood, CA), granddaughter, Dené Murray-Mathews (Michael-Ray; San Jose, CA), and great-grandchildren, Anna Barefield (Inglewood, CA) and Kenan Mathews (Columbus, OH), along with a host of nieces, nephews, and other relatives.