Jane Addams (1860-1935)
A native of Cedarville, Illinois, Jane Addams founded Hull House in Chicago’s poor, industrial west side in 1889, the first settlement house in the United States. Addams and other female residents of Hull House initiated projects to improve conditions for workingwomen, end child labor, and provide education for women, children, the elderly, and immigrants. Hull House was instrumental in the Progressive Era social reforms of the early 20th century, such as the creation of the Children’s Bureau to regulate child labor, and was also crucial in the development of women’s professions in nursing, social work, and civil service. Addams was a leading peace activist during World War I and received a Nobel Peace Prize in 1931. She died on May 21, 1935, in Chicago.
- This article is reprinted from a NWHM newsletter
- PHOTO: Water, Ed. D., copyright claimant. "[Jane Addams, head-and-shoulders portrait, facing left]" Copyright 1907. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress.