From the projects of Baltimore’s inner-city to becoming the first African American speechwriter for a U.S. President [Bill Clinton], Terry Edmonds grew up in a time when the fight for justice and equality were at the forefront of Americans’ lives.
Born in 1949, Edmonds came of age at the height of the Civil Rights Movement. Maryland – home to the first railroad, dental school, and the first iron building in America – was also home to an influential leader of the Civil Rights Movement, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.
To Edmonds, Marshall was a hero.
“Justice Thurgood Marshall grew up in my hometown and, for a time, lived on Division Street not far from the old Provident Hospital where I was born,” Edmonds started. “As a child, he suffered, endured and overcame many of the challenges I and other African Americans of my generation faced – including under-resourced segregated schools and poverty.” For Edmonds, Marshall’s role in the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 (1954) and his appointment as the first African American U.S. Supreme Court Justice made him, “one of the nation’s foremost champions of civil rights and equal justice. I was inspired by his life and contributions.”
The ruling in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 (1954), declaring segregation in public schools unconstitutional, helped fuel the Civil Rights Movement. Despite this victory for African Americans, and later the 1964 Civil Rights Act prohibiting colleges and universities from discriminating based upon age, sex, race, or religion, Edmonds chose to enroll in the “Harvard of Baltimore,” a historically Black institution, Morgan State University, in 1967.
Edmonds saw college as an opportunity to create a better future for himself and to also honor his mother, Naomi Parker, who strongly believed in education.
While tuition at Morgan State was below that at predominantly white institutions, Edmonds had to work his way through school. He understands – even today – the struggle for students to gain access to higher education due to financial barriers, encouraging alumni of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to give back.
“Many first-generation African American college students are the children of working-class parents who cannot afford to pay the full cost of their tuition,” Edmonds shared. “A high percentage of these students receive Federal Pell Grant assistance. Due to systemic underfunding, contributions to HBCUs from alumni to bolster endowments and fund scholarships is critical.”
Edmonds graduated from Morgan State in 1973 with a Bachelor of Art degree in English. He had developed a passion for reading at an early age. Growing up, his home was filled with a collection of children’s classics including Robin Hood, King Arthur, Alice in Wonderland, and Tom Sawyer.
“I devoured those books and admired the way the words made ideas, images, and history come to life. I began to emulate some of those writers and discovered that I too could paint pictures with words.”
Edmonds had his mind set on entering the world of journalism.
“Morgan had prepared me well and I knew I had what it took to be a reporter, feature writer or editor,” Edmonds said. “But in the 1970s, those doors were not very welcoming to young men of color in Baltimore. I found my way into that world by becoming a public relations writer and specialist.”
After a succession of non-profit and corporate PR jobs, Edmonds entered the world of political communications as press secretary for Congressman Kweisi Mfume. He never imagined his path would lead him to the White House as the chief speechwriter for President Bill Clinton.
“Of the hundreds of political, campaign and executive speeches I wrote for the President, his 1997 Morgan State commencement speech is at the top of my pride list,” Edmonds said. “What an honor to prepare President Clinton for a rare presidential HBCU commencement address and to walk the halls of my alma mater with Morgan President, Dr. Earl Richardson, and the President of the United States.”
Edmonds credits his experiences at Morgan State for his highly remarkable career path.
“Dr. Ruthe T. Sheffey [professor in Morgan State’s English department] not only opened my eyes to great literature and writers, but she also went out her way to ensure that I did not squander the talent she saw that I had not fully recognized in myself,” Edmonds expressed. “Her scholarship and caring are a big part of who I am today. I am also proud that during my time at Morgan, a number of my poems appeared in the annual Morgan poetry anthology.”
Edmonds understands the power of the HBCU experience. He expressed the vital role these institutions have had in society in a recent Washington Monthly article.
It’s hard to exaggerate the impact HBCUs have had on Black America. They have produced 40 percent of Black engineers and members of Congress, 50 percent of Black lawyers, 70 percent of Black doctors, and a staggering 80 percent of Black judges. They have achieved this extraordinary success in the face of years of scandalously inequitable funding.
March is “I Love My HBCU” month. Thurgood Marshall College Fund encourages you to talk about your HBCU experience and make a financial contribution to your alma mater or other HBCU in support of the next generation of Black leaders.