MOTIVATING TIPS

Maggie Kuhn

1905 – 1995 · American social worker and gerontology activist

1 verified quote1 topicAll with editorial commentary

[ Life ]

In 1905, a Presbyterian minister's daughter was born in Buffalo, New York, and would spend the next 89 years systematizing rage into action. Maggie Kuhn worked as a social worker and editor for the Presbyterian Church until mandatory retirement at 65 in 1970 forced her hand—literally into activism. Rather than fade, she co-founded the Gray Panthers in Philadelphia that same year, a radical gerontology movement that rejected the patronizing language and invisibility imposed on aging Americans. She remained its fierce chair until her death in 1995, refusing both compromise and the rocking chair.

[ Words & Works ]

The Panthers published *Modern Maturity* magazine and Kuhn herself wrote *Get Out There and Do Something About Injustice* (1972), distilling her conviction that old age was not a problem to solve but a vantage point from which to challenge power. She testified before Congress on aging and healthcare, spoke directly to youth movements about intergenerational solidarity, and argued that the elderly possessed moral authority precisely because they had less to lose. Her words endure because she refused sentimentality about age—she demanded it be weaponized.

Frequently asked

What are the best Maggie Kuhn quotes?

Maggie Kuhn is best known for quotes on On Confidence. Among the most cited: "Speak the truth, even if your..." from No Stone Unturned: The Life and Times of Maggie Kuhn.

How many Maggie Kuhn quotes does MotivatingTips have?

MotivatingTips has 1 verified Maggie Kuhn quote, each with editorial commentary and source verification. Quotes are organized across On Confidence.

What book are Maggie Kuhn's quotes from?

Quotes on MotivatingTips are sourced from No Stone Unturned: The Life and Times of Maggie Kuhn.

Are these Maggie Kuhn quotes verified?

Every Maggie Kuhn quote on MotivatingTips includes verified attribution with source, book, chapter, or speech reference where available.

Best Maggie Kuhn Quotes

Hand-picked, verified, and explained.

Speak the truth, even if your voice shakes.

VerifiedNo Stone Unturned: The Life and Times of Maggie Kuhn, Chapter 12, Ballantine Books, 1991
Why This Matters

The real wisdom here isn't about *what* you say, but about the courage of imperfection—Kuhn recognizes that speaking truth doesn't require you to be unafraid, only willing to speak despite the fear. Most platitudes demand heroic confidence; she's asking something humbler and far more attainable: that you open your mouth while your hands tremble. When a parent tells an adult child something that needs saying but will damage the relationship, or when a junior employee corrects a senior colleague's mistake in a meeting, that shaking voice is often the only honest one in the room—and its very tremor proves you understand what's at stake.

Read full quote →
Maggie Kuhn quotes by topic

Works cited

  • No Stone Unturned: The Life and Times of Maggie Kuhn1 quote
    View →

Authors you might also like

Cite This Page

Use the following citations to reference this page in academic or professional work.

APA Style

Maggie Kuhn Quotes. (n.d.). MotivatingTips. Retrieved May 13, 2026, from https://www.motivatingtips.com/authors/maggie-kuhn

Chicago Style

Maggie Kuhn Quotes. MotivatingTips, DSS Media, 2026. https://www.motivatingtips.com/authors/maggie-kuhn, accessed May 13, 2026.

MLA Style

"Maggie Kuhn Quotes." MotivatingTips. DSS Media, 2026. 13 May 2026. https://www.motivatingtips.com/authors/maggie-kuhn

By Email

One quote. Every morning. No fluff.

Join 100,000+ readers who start their day with a carefully chosen quote and brief reflection. Unsubscribe anytime.

By WhatsApp

Same quote. On WhatsApp. Reply and it talks back.

Get your daily quote delivered to WhatsApp. Ask questions, get related quotes, or just reply to share your thoughts.

Open in WhatsApp