Edna Browning Kahly Gladney (January 22, 1886 – October 2, 1961) was an early campaigner for children's rights and better living conditions for disadvantaged children.

Her life story was told in the 1941 film Blossoms in the Dust, in which she was portrayed by Greer Garson, who was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance as Gladney.

Early life

Edna Browning Jones was born on January 22, 1886 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Minnie Nell Jones, who was 17 and unmarried. Her natural father was never revealed. Her mother later married Maurice Kahly, and the couple had a daughter named Dorothy together. Edna worked as a clerk at Mutual Life Insurance to support her mother and sister, but was sent to live with her aunt and uncle, an executive at Texas & Pacific Coal and Thurber Brick Company in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1904. Edna's aunt was involved in Fort Worth society and women's clubs, and Edna quickly moved into these social circles as well.

Grayson County Poor Farm

On one of these Grayson County, Texas inspections, Gladney came across the Grayson County Poor Farm, which was little more than a dumping ground for the feeble-minded, handicapped, indigent, mentally ill, and unwanted. Appalled at the Poor Farm's conditions, especially for children, she enlisted the other Civic League members in a campaign for improvements beginning in 1917. a position she held until 1961. In 1939, Gladney successfully campaigned for a change in the Texas law that sealed the original birth certificates of adopted children and that made a second copy of the birth certificate, listing only the child's adoptive name and parents; the sealed original birth certificate could be opened only by court order. The piece stands 5’3” tall, the same height of Edna Gladney. Although a hat was not in the original plan, Linda said Edna kept telling her “I need a hat.” Linda “listened” and the sculpture is wearing one of Edna's signature hats. The pedestal contains a bronze bas-relief panel with 66 leaves, each leaf represents 150 babies that were adopted during Edna's time of service at the Gladney Center. Each of the leaves has a birth date and baby's name etched in it.

See also

  • Children's Aid Society
  • Legitimacy (family law)

References

  • Texas State Historical Association
  • Gladney Center for Adoption