Maggie Kuhn

Maggie Kuhn
Born
Margaret Eliza Kuhn

(1905-08-03)August 3, 1905
Buffalo, New York, U.S.
DiedApril 22, 1995(1995-04-22) (aged 89)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
OccupationElder rights activist
Known forGray Panthers

Margaret Eliza "Maggie" Kuhn (August 3, 1905 – April 22, 1995)[1] was an American activist known for founding the Gray Panthers movement, after she was forced to retire from her job at the then-mandatory retirement age of 65. The Gray Panthers became known for advocating nursing home reform and fighting ageism, claiming that "old people and women constitute America's biggest untapped and undervalued human energy source." She dedicated her life to fighting for human rights, social and economic justice, global peace, integration, and an understanding of mental health issues. For decades, she combined her activism with caring for her disabled mother and a brother who suffered from mental illness.[2][3] Embracing her age and activism, she referred to herself as a "wrinkled radical."[4] By the mid-1970s, Kuhn had achieved national celebrity status, speaking at over 200 engagements a year and appearing on shows like 'The Phil Donahue Show,' 'Today,' and 'The Tonight Show' with Johnny Carson. In 1978, the World Almanac named her one of the 25 most influential women in the United States.[5]

  1. ^ Robert McG. Thomas Jr. (April 23, 1995). "Maggie Kuhn, 89, the Founder Of the Gray Panthers, Is Dead". The New York Times. p. 47B.
  2. ^ Nelson, Todd D., ed. (2004). Ageism: stereotyping and prejudice against older persons. A Bradford book (1st ed.). Cambridge, Mass. London: MIT. p. 340. ISBN 978-0-262-64057-2.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Roberts, Steven (October 30, 1977). "The Old-Age Lobby Has A Loud Voice In Washington". The New York Times.
  5. ^ Douglas, Susan J. (8 September 2020). "The Forgotten History of the Radical 'Elders of the Tribe'". The New York Times.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)