Jane Addams

Profession: Social Worker and Nobel Laureate

Nationality:

Biography: Jane Addams was an American social reformer and activist. She co-founded one of America's first settlement houses, the Hull House in Chicago, which became an important foundation for the social settlement movement within the United States and internationally. Addams is a key figure in the development of social work as a profession in the United States.

Addams was born into a wealthy family in Illinois. After graduating from the Rockford Female Seminary (now Rockford University), she traveled to Europe. During her travels, she visited Toynbee Hall in London, a settlement house dedicated to improving the lives of the poor. This visit greatly influenced her, and upon her return to the United States, she decided to co-found Hull House in 1889 with her friend Ellen Gates Starr.

Hull House was established in a poor, industrial area of Chicago. It provided numerous services such as daycare, education, and healthcare to the local community, particularly immigrants. Addams believed in the importance of responding to the needs of the community and encouraged participatory democracy, where everyone had a voice in deciding the services and activities the settlement would provide.

Addams' work extended beyond Hull House. She was also a dedicated pacifist and advocate for women's suffrage. She saw a direct link between the conditions of women and peace, arguing that women's perspectives were essential in preventing war and fostering social justice. During World War I, she served as the chair of the Women's Peace Party and was later president of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.

In 1931, Jane Addams was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, shared with Nicholas Butler, making her the first American woman to receive this honor. She received the award "for their assiduous effort to revive the ideal of peace and to rekindle the spirit of peace in their own nation and in the whole of mankind."

Addams wrote several books and articles on issues such as social justice, democracy, and peace. Her book Twenty Years at Hull House is a notable account of her experiences and philosophies during her time at the settlement.

Born: September 6, 1860
Birthplace: Cedarville, Illinois, USA
Star Sign: Virgo

Died: May 21, 1935 (aged 74)