Jane Addams

Social work

Progressive-era reformer who sought to change society through education, labor legislation, and social work

Amy French

Image: Wiki Commons

1860

Cedarville, Illinois, USA

1935

Social worker

Born Laura Jane Addams, she was the first American woman to be awarded a Nobel Peace Prize, which she was given in 1931. She was best known for her reform efforts, and for being a pioneer in social work. She was also a feminist who took part in the women’s suffrage movement urging politicians to grant women the vote. Addams, with Ellen Gates Starr, started the settlement house movement, which emphasized cultural connections and education. Hull House, Addams' Chicago settlement house, attempted to keep families and communities safe by providing a place for civic, cultural, recreational, and educational activities. Hull House drew noted lecturers and was the center of social reform activity. The Hull House group (including Florence Kelley and Julia Lathrop) became involved in local and state campaigns for better housing, public welfare programs, child labor laws, and labor legislation for women. Deemed by historians as Progressives, these women greatly influenced their municipalities and labor legislation as a whole.

Brown, Victoria Bissell. The Education of Jane Addams. (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2003).

Fischer, Marilyn et. al. eds. Jane Addams and the Practice of Democracy. (University of Illinois Press, 2009).

Jane Addams Hull House Site: http://www.uic.edu/jaddams/hull/hull_house.html

Twenty Years

Harvard University Open Collections on Jane Addams: http://ocp.hul.harvard.edu/ww/addams.html