Edith Childs

Bio:
Edith Childs (born Edith S. Childs in 1949 in South Carolina) is an American politician. Edith attended Brewer High School in Greenwood, South Carolina, studying health before graduating in 1967. Edith worked as a licensed practical nurse in her local community. After retiring from nursing, Edith started studying criminal justice. She became a private investigator, and started an anonymous hotline in Greenwood County to help seniors who were being preyed on by criminals but feared retribution if they called the police. In 1994, Edith entered the political world, running for an at-large seat on the Greenwood School District 50 board of trustees. After wining the seat, she served until 1998. In 1999, she ran for Greenwood Country council, winning a seat to represent District 1. In June 2007, Senator Barack Obama visited Greenwood, only to find 30 people showed up to his event. Edith, seeing his dismay, shouted “Fired Up!” and the room responded by repeating what she said. Edith shouted “Ready to go!,” which also got a similar response. Edith’s chant was repeated at a larger Aiken, South Carolina stop and it soon became his campaign slogan for his 2008 campaign. Edith was a guest of Michelle Obama’s at President Obama’s last State of the Union address in 2016.

Best Known For:
Edith Childs is best known as an American politician who helped with coin Obama’s campaign slogan, “Fired up! Ready to go!”

Personal Life:  
In 2013, Edit received a fine from the South Carolina ethics commission over what they found to be an inappropriate spending of “in district” funds. The commission says Edith used $100 to make personal donations to nonprofits, including a $50 to put an advertisement in a program for a local beauty pageant.