Marian Wright Edelman, Lawyer, Children’s Advocate, Author, Activist (1939)

Born in Bennettsville, South Carolina, in 1939, Marian Wright Edelman‘s list of titles and achievements is extensive.  Ms. Edelman’s titles include lawyer, educator, activist, reformer, children’s advocate, author, and much more. These are some of her accomplishments: 

Marian Wright Edelman (1994) | Photo credit: Wikipedia

• the first black woman to pass the bar exam in Mississippi
• the first black woman admitted to the Mississippi Bar
• founded the Washington Research Project, a public interest law firm and the parent body of the Children’s Defense Fund
• founded the privately funded Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) in 1973 as a voice for poor, minority and handicapped children; she also serves as CDF’s president
• serves on the board of the Robin Hood Foundation, a charitable organization dedicated to the elimination of poverty
• has received over 100 honorary degrees
• has received many awards which include the Albert Schweitzer Humanitarian Prize, the Heinz Award, and a MacArthur Foundation Prize Fellowship
• in 2000, she received both the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award, and the Robert F. Kennedy Lifetime Achievement Award for her writings which include: Families in Peril: An Agenda for Social Change; The Measure of Our Success: A Letter to My Children and Yours; Guide My Feet: Meditations and Prayers on Loving and Working for Children; Stand for Children; Lanterns: A Memoir of Mentors; Hold My Hand: Prayers for Building a Movement to Leave No Child Behind; I’m Your Child, God: Prayers for Our Children; I Can Make a Difference: A Treasury to Inspire Our Children; and The Sea Is So Wide and My Boat Is So Small: Charting a Course for the Next Generation.

Related Links

Quotes: Marian Wright Edelman (What’s Your Contribution?)

Meet the 1985 MacArthur Fellows (macfound.org)

Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism (wikipedia.org)

Children’s Defense Fund (childrensdefense.org)

A Supporter of Children, Marian Wright Edelman | African American Registry (aaregistry.org)

Edelman to Receive Medal for Education Impact (gse.harvard.edu)

ABS Celebrates The Child Advocacy Work of Marian Wright Edelman (atlantablackstar.com)

Marian Wright Edelman: What Can I Do (socialworkhelper.com)

Marian Wright Edelman: How We Can Truly Honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (huffingtonpost.com)

Famous African-Americans Who Enriched Their Lives by Studying Abroad (atlantablackstar.com)

References:

Women’s History: Marian Wright Edelman (about.com)

Marian Wright Edelman Biography (childrensdefense.org)

Marian Wright Edelman Biography – Facts, Birthday, Life Story (biography.com)

Marian Wright Edelman (wikipedia.org)