Marian Wright Edelman has made her mark on history in a variety of ways as an advocate for the rights of children and families. Edelman founded the Children’s Defense Fund in the early ’70’s, and still remains passionate about her mission to this day.
Edelman was born in Bennettsville, S.C. on June 6, 1939. She lost her father just as she was starting high school. On his deathbed, he asked her to continue seeking excellence through education. Edelman heeded those words, obtaining her undergrad degree from Spelman College on a Merrill scholarship and traveling the world as a Lisle fellow.
Edelman studied abroad in the Soviet Union and became involved in the civil rights movement. After her arrest for activism, Edelman decided to enter Yale University’s law school. She earned her Juris Doctor in 1963 at age 24 and made history as the first Black woman admitted to the Mississippi State bar.
Edelman worked for the NAACP’s Legal Defense Fund, then moved to Washington, D.C. in 1968 to work alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and support the Poor People’s Campaign.
Embracing King’s universal approach and led by her own sense of justice, Edelman focus on children’s rights became her hallmark when she founded the Children’s Defense Fund in 1973. Among her current initiatives is preventing the deaths of young people by way of gun violence.
Edelman is also a strong proponent for literacy, noting that education can keep many young people of color from what she referred to as the “prison track.”
Edelman has authored several books, including a memoir and a number of faith-based books for children and families. She has won several awards, including the MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Grant in 1985, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2000.
Like BlackAmericaWeb.com on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter.
