Marian Wright Edelman
Marian Wright Edelman
Marian Wright Edelmanis an American activist for the rights of children. She has been an advocate for disadvantaged Americans for her entire professional life. She is president and founder of the Children's Defense Fund...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionActivist
Date of Birth6 June 1939
CountryUnited States of America
struggle responsibility volunteer
I was taught that the world had a lot of problems; that I could struggle and change them; that intellectual and material gifts brought the privilege and responsibility of sharing with others less fortunate; and that service is the rent each of us pays for living - the very purpose of life and not something you do in your spare time or after you have reached your personal goals.
children nice reality
The old notion that children are the private property of parents dies very slowly. In reality, no parent raises a child alone. How many of us nice middle-class folk could make it without our mortgage reduction
children people matter
Amidst protestations of 'Who can be against the children?' too few people are FOR children when it really matters.
justice
Justice is not cheap. Justice is not quick. It is not ever finally achieved.
peace money america
We do not have a money problem in America. We have a values and priorities problem.
inspiring mothers-day father
To all those mothers and fathers who are struggling with teen-agers, I say, just be patient: even though it looks like you can't do anything right for a number of years, parents become popular again when kids reach 20.
school law literature
I hadn't planned on going to law school. I wanted to study 19th-century Russian literature.
children cutting fighting
Together we can and must fight for justice for our children and protect them from draconian tax cuts and budget choices that threaten their survival, education and preparation for the future. If they are not ready for tomorrow, neither is America.
glasses ceilings glass-ceiling
I never thought I was breaking a glass ceiling. I just had to do what I had to do, and it never occurred to me not to.
bad-day thinking trying
Every day I wear my Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth medallions around my neck. When I think I'm having a bad day, I try to think about their day, and I get up.
moral moral-values values
Family and moral values are so central to everything that I am.
challenges segregation
It never occurred to me that I was not going to challenge segregation.
country children thinking
I'm sure I am impatient sometimes. I sure do get angry sometimes. I think it's outrageous how hard it is to get this country to feed its children and to take care of its children, to give them a decent education.
children lying book
Much of what I do now stems from my rage at segregation and discrimination. I can't stand to see children not able to do anything, anybody not able to do what they can do. The daily lessons of exclusion, having hand-me-down books in schools, of seeing ambulances turn away and not give health care for people lying in the streets who are migrant workers. Everything I do today stems from that segregated existence.