Marian Wright Edelman - The 92nd Street Y, New York

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92NY Humanities Audio Collection

Books and Breakfast

Marian Wright Edelman

Oct 18, 1999


Journalist and editor Walter Anderson speaks with activist Marian Wright Edelman about her new book, Lanterns: A Memoir of Mentors (2000). This event is part of the Books and Breakfast discussion series, sponsored by Barnes and Noble. Wright Edelman, who founded the Children’s Defense Fund in 1973, speaks about important mentors in her life such as her parents, Senator Robert Kennedy, and civil rights leaders like Rosa Parks. She reflects on growing up in Bennettsville, South Carolina, organizing sit-ins and protests as an undergrad, and eventually becoming the first African American woman admitted to the Mississippi State Bar Association. She also explores the idea of children as mentors and ultimately emphasizes the importance of being a good mentor and putting children first. The discussion is followed by questions from the audience.

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