Children's Defense Fund

Tambra O. Jackson

The Children's Defense Fund (CDF) educates the nation about the needs of children, paying particular attention to the needs of poor and underrepresented children and those with disabilities. CDF is the leading advocacy group in the United States for children and families. The Children's Defense Fund began in 1973 and grew out of the civil rights movement under the leadership of Marian Wright Edelman. CDF traces its heritage to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., his Poor People's Campaign, and the Washington Research Project. This entry chronicles the progression of the Children's Defense Fund and the life of its founder and president, Marian Wright Edelman, looks at the mission and outreach work of the organization, and describes its research agenda. Marian Wright Edelman, born on June 6, 1939, was raised in Bennettsville, South Carolina, where she was the youngest of five children. Her father was a Baptist preacher, and her parents ...

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