19 Notable Quotes By Marian Wright Edelman That Will Inspire You To Serve The Poor

Famous As: Writer, Lawyer

Born On: 1939

Born In: Bennettsville

Founder / Co Founder: Children's Defense Fund.

Age: 85 Years

Marian Wright Edelman is a famous activist best known for her support of the disadvantaged people of America. During her initial days, she was a part of the ‘Civil Rights Movement’ and was even arrested for her activism. This arrest enlightened her to pursue law as a career and she became the first Afro-American woman to join ‘The Mississippi Bar’. There, she closely worked on issues like racial justice and also established a ‘Head Start Program’ which assured education and healthy life for poor children. She further moved to Washington D.C. to support the ‘Poor People's Campaign of Martin Luther King Jr.’. She was very concerned about the poor and needy which motivated her to found the ‘Children's Defense Fund’. Through this foundation, she urged the Congress to improvise various laws on adoption and child care for the benefit of the poor children. Her activism for the betterment of the society brought her many awards and accolades including ‘Barnard Medal of Distinction’ and ‘Presidential Medal of Freedom’. Here is a collection of sayings and quotations by the renowned activist. We have curated her quotes from her books, writings, interviews, speeches, work and thoughts. Go through the renowned quotes and thoughts by Marian Wright Edelman that will definitely inspire you to serve the needy!

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Writers

Activists

Lawyers & Judges

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

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

You really can change the world if you care enough.

You really can change the world if you care enough.
You Change
Marian Wright Edelman

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

Never work just for money or for power. They won't save your soul or help you sleep at night.
You Never Money Power Soul
Marian Wright Edelman

You just need to be a flea against injustice. Enough committed fleas biting strategically can make even the biggest dog uncomfortable and transform even the biggest nation.

You just need to be a flea against injustice. Enough committed fleas biting strategically can make even the biggest dog uncomfortable and transform even the biggest nation.
You Need
Marian Wright Edelman

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

Being considerate of others will take your children further in life than any college degree.
Life Will Children
Marian Wright Edelman

A lot of people are waiting for Martin Luther King or Mahatma Gandhi to come back-but they are gone. We are it. It is up to us. It is up to you.

A lot of people are waiting for Martin Luther King or Mahatma Gandhi to come back-but they are gone. We are it. It is up to us. It is up to you.
You
Marian Wright Edelman

Failure is just another way to learn how to do something right.

Failure is just another way to learn how to do something right.
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.

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.
Think Time Trying
Marian Wright Edelman

It is the responsibility of every adult... to make sure that children hear what we have learned from the lessons of life and to hear over and over that we love them and that they are not alone.

It is the responsibility of every adult... to make sure that children hear what we have learned from the lessons of life and to hear over and over that we love them and that they are not alone.
Life Love Alone Children
Marian Wright Edelman

You can't be what you can't see.
You
Marian Wright Edelman

Understand and be confident that each of us can make a difference by caring and acting in small as well as big ways.

Understand and be confident that each of us can make a difference by caring and acting in small as well as big ways.
Marian Wright Edelman

If you don't like the way the world is, you change it. You have an obligation to change it. You just do it one step at a time.

If you don't like the way the world is, you change it. You have an obligation to change it. You just do it one step at a time.
You Change Time Like
Marian Wright Edelman

Service is the rent we pay for living.
Living
Marian Wright Edelman

Don’t feel entitled to anything you don’t sweat and struggle for

Don’t feel entitled to anything you don’t sweat and struggle for
You
Marian Wright Edelman

So much of America's tragic and costly failure to care for all its children stems from our tendency to distinguish between our own children and other people's children--as if justice were divisible.

So much of America's tragic and costly failure to care for all its children stems from our tendency to distinguish between our own children and other people's children--as if justice were divisible.
Children
Marian Wright Edelman

You were born God's original. Try not to become someone's copy.

You were born God's original. Try not to become someone's copy.
You
Marian Wright Edelman

If we don't stand up for children, then we don't stand for much.

If we don't stand up for children, then we don't stand for much.
Children
Marian Wright Edelman

It's time for greatness -- not for greed. It's a time for idealism -- not ideology. It is a time not just for compassionate words, but compassionate action.

It's time for greatness -- not for greed. It's a time for idealism -- not ideology. It is a time not just for compassionate words, but compassionate action.
Time
Marian Wright Edelman