Decades of advocacy for children and the vulnerable

Born in 1939, she is the founder and president emerita of the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF). As a civil rights lawyer, she worked on voter registration, Head Start funding, and related causes in the 1960s South before founding the CDF in 1973. Under her leadership it became a major voice for ensuring children get a healthy start, education, safety, and opportunity, emphasizing moral responsibility toward those who cannot advocate for themselves.