Quotes by Marian Wright Edelman

About Marian Wright Edelman:

Marian Wright Edelman is 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.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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.

Marian Wright Edelman

Unless children have strong education and strong families and strong communities and decent housing, it's not enough to go sit in at a lunch counter.

Marian Wright Edelman

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.

Marian Wright Edelman

Education is a precondition to survival in America today.

Marian Wright Edelman

I worry about the kids who have too much. As a parent living in a so-called good neighborhood with children who went to private high school, I found myself spending much time in parent groups worrying about alcohol, unsupervised parties, and parents ...

Marian Wright Edelman

In every seed of good there is always a piece of bad.

Marian Wright Edelman

Being considerate of others will take your children further in life than any college degree.

Marian Wright Edelman

I try to act out of faith.

Marian Wright Edelman

My faith has been the driving thing of my life. I think it is important that people who are perceived as liberals not be afraid of talking about moral and community values.

Marian Wright Edelman

The future which we hold in trust for our own children will be shaped by our fairness to other people's children.

Marian Wright Edelman

A nation that does not stand for its children does not stand for anything and will not stand tall in the future.

Marian Wright Edelman

Service is the rent we pay for being. It is the very purpose of life, and not something you do in your spare time.

Marian Wright Edelman

Service is what life is all about.

Marian Wright Edelman

If things are too easy, life is a whole lot less interesting.

Marian Wright Edelman

We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee.

Marian Wright Edelman

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.

Marian Wright Edelman

We do not have a money problem in America. We have a values and priorities problem.

Marian Wright Edelman

If we think we have ours and don't owe any time or money or effort to help those left behind, then we are a part of the problem rather than the solution to the fraying social fabric that threatens all Americans.

Marian Wright Edelman

Never work just for money or for power. They won't save your soul or help you sleep at night.

Marian Wright Edelman

Remember and help America remember that the fellowship of human beings is more important than the fellowship of race and class and gender in a democratic society.

Marian Wright Edelman

In politics, there are no friends.

Marian Wright Edelman

Author Bio

  • NameMarian Wright Edelman
  • DescriptionAmerican activist and founder of the Children's Defense Fund
  • BornJune 6, 1939
  • CountryUnited States Of America
  • ProfessionAuthor
  • AwardsMacArthur Fellows Program; Lillian Smith Book Award; Gandhi Peace Award; National Women's Hall Of Fame