Nyorai kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Muma 1940 na 1950, Puryear akanga ari mushandi wezvemagariro evanhu muNewark, New Jersey. Akagadzwa somushumiri muChechi yeAME. Akataura muchechi uye pamisangano yechechi yenyika neyenharaunda. Akanga ari nhume yechipiri ku1948 Republican National Convention
kubva kuNew Jersey. Muna 1962, aive Dean weVakadzi paFlorida A & M State College. Muna 1967, akanga achiri kushingaira neAlpha Kappa Alpha, somutungamiriri we"Negro heritage project" yesangano revakadzi. Muna 1970, akabatsira kuvhura "raibhurari yekuverenga tsika yevatema" paPearl Street YWCA muNashville, Tennessee.