Marian Wright Edelman to Speak At 1993 Class Day

Marian Wright Edelman, founder and president of the Children's Defense Fund, Will speak to graduating seniors at this year's Class Day ceremonies.

Edelman--whom Hillary Clinton considers a mentor, and whom Rolling Stone called "kind of like America's mom"--accepted the 1993 Class Committee's offer several weeks ago, according to Senior Class Marshall Mukesh Prasad '93.

"It is quite an honor to have someone as distinguished as Marian Wright Edelman as our Class Day Speaker," Prasad said. "She serves as a role model to not only the Class of '93 but to anyone who believes in balancing a strong professional career with a strong family."

Prasad said Edelman was one of the committee's first choices for speaker. He and other committee members hoped she would accept because of her previous ties to the University.

Edelman, who in 1989 was one of nine recipients of the Radcliffe Association Medal, received an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from the University in 1991.

In 1987, Edelman delivered a series of W.E.B. DuBois lectures for the Department of Afro-American studies. Those speeches were later published in "Families in Peril: An Agen- da for Social Change."

"I can't think of a better choice," said DuBoisProfessor of the Humanities Henry Louis Gates Jr.,who has known Edelman for many years. "She's abrilliant jurist and a compassionate person, andit's rare to find a combination of the depth ofcompassion with the range of brilliance."

"I think she's a very bright and veryarticulate woman," said President Neil L.Rudenstein. "I would imagine she'd give anextremely good speech."

Edelman's son, Joshua R. Edelman '91, saidyesterday that his mother has been an effectivespeaker at many other graduations across thecountry.

"It's especially important that she's speakingat college campuses because it gets across topeople on the verge of having families themselvesthat need to give the right message to theirchildren," Joshua Edelman said. "The ideal crowdis a college crowd."

"She'll probably talk about the crisis of ourchildren and the crisis of poverty in America,"Gates said. "She'll probably issue a challenge tothe students to retain their idealism and theirintegrity, all the while pursuing careers thatwill make them members of the power elite and theupper middle class."

Edelman has been an advocate for disadvantagedAmericans throughout her professional career. In1963, she founded the Washington Research Project,which became the Children's Defense Fund a decadelater. Through the institution, she has ledcampaigns in the areas of teenage pregnancyprevention, child health, education, child careand youth employment.

After graduating from Yale Law School in 1963,Edelman was the first Black woman admitted to theMississippi Bar and the first to sit on the YaleUniversity Corporation.

In 1992, she published "The Measures ofSuccess: A Letter to my Children and Yours" whichcalls for every American to work for children'srights.

In 1971, Time magazine named her one ofAmerica's 200 young leaders. In 1992, Newsweekdeclared her one of the "women of the year."

Edelman could not be reached for commentyesterday

"I can't think of a better choice," said DuBoisProfessor of the Humanities Henry Louis Gates Jr.,who has known Edelman for many years. "She's abrilliant jurist and a compassionate person, andit's rare to find a combination of the depth ofcompassion with the range of brilliance."

"I think she's a very bright and veryarticulate woman," said President Neil L.Rudenstein. "I would imagine she'd give anextremely good speech."

Edelman's son, Joshua R. Edelman '91, saidyesterday that his mother has been an effectivespeaker at many other graduations across thecountry.

"It's especially important that she's speakingat college campuses because it gets across topeople on the verge of having families themselvesthat need to give the right message to theirchildren," Joshua Edelman said. "The ideal crowdis a college crowd."

"She'll probably talk about the crisis of ourchildren and the crisis of poverty in America,"Gates said. "She'll probably issue a challenge tothe students to retain their idealism and theirintegrity, all the while pursuing careers thatwill make them members of the power elite and theupper middle class."

Edelman has been an advocate for disadvantagedAmericans throughout her professional career. In1963, she founded the Washington Research Project,which became the Children's Defense Fund a decadelater. Through the institution, she has ledcampaigns in the areas of teenage pregnancyprevention, child health, education, child careand youth employment.

After graduating from Yale Law School in 1963,Edelman was the first Black woman admitted to theMississippi Bar and the first to sit on the YaleUniversity Corporation.

In 1992, she published "The Measures ofSuccess: A Letter to my Children and Yours" whichcalls for every American to work for children'srights.

In 1971, Time magazine named her one ofAmerica's 200 young leaders. In 1992, Newsweekdeclared her one of the "women of the year."

Edelman could not be reached for commentyesterday