Marian Wright Edelman, founder and president of the Children’s Defense Fund and the first African American woman admitted to the Mississippi Bar, will deliver the commencement address at Millsaps College on Saturday, May 9 at 9:30 a.m.
“Marian Wright Edelman has dedicated her entire professional life to serving others. Her work as an advocate for disadvantaged Americans fits so well with Millsaps College’s commitment to graduate students who have a passion for community service and a sincere concern for the world around them,” said Millsaps College President Frances Lucas.
“We are truly honored to have Marian Wright Edelman speak to our graduates and anticipate an inspiring commencement address.”
Since she began the Children’s Defense Fund in 1973, the organization has become the nation’s strongest voice for children and families. The organization strives to ensure every child has a successful passage to adulthood by lifting children out of poverty; protecting them from abuse and neglect and ensuring their access to health care, quality education and a moral and spiritual foundation.
After graduating from Spelman College and Yale Law School, Edelman moved to Jackson in the mid-60s to direct the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund office. In l968, she moved to Washington, D.C., as counsel for the Poor People's Campaign that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. began organizing before his death. She founded the Washington Research Project, a public interest law firm and the parent body of the Children's Defense Fund.
Edelman has received many honorary degrees and awards including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2000, the nation’s highest civilian award, and the Robert F. Kennedy Lifetime Achievement Award for her writings which include nine books: 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; and 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.
She is married to Peter Edelman, a professor at Georgetown Law School. They have three sons and four grandchildren.
Edelman will speak to graduating students and their families at 9:30 a.m. in the Bowl, the outdoor area adjacent to the A. Boyd Campbell College Center. In case of rain, the ceremonies will be held at Christ United Methodist Church.
