ABSTRACT

Marian Wright Edelman (1939) is a lawyer, social activist, and premier children's rights advocate in the United States. She has devoted herself to improving the lives of children and minorities. In 1973, she founded the Children's Defense Fund (CDF), which under her leadership for the past 40 years has grown to become the leading child advocacy organization in the country. Edelman has raised public awareness and governmental support of issues to improve the lives of children and minority families.