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Who Was Jane Addams, the Mother of Social Work?

Jane Addams was a social reformer who founded Hull House, one of the first settlement houses in the United States, in Chicago in 1889. In 1931, she became the first American woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, honored for a lifetime of work on behalf of immigrants, workers, and world peace.

Long before Social Work was a recognized profession, Addams was living out its core idea: that lasting change happens when people live alongside the communities they serve, not apart from them. That conviction, more than any single accomplishment, is why she’s remembered as the mother of social work.

What Was Hull House?

Hull House was the settlement house Jane Addams opened in Chicago in 1889 with her partner, Ellen Gates Starr. Hull House was so named because when she went to purchase the home from Charles Jerald Hull and told him her vision of what it would become, he donated the house to her. Rather than a single service, Hull House expanded to include multiple buildings spanning several blocks. Together they functioned as an entire community hub: there was a day care, a gym, English classes, a trade school (with places to sell things like homemade pottery), libraries, and a communal kitchen. Addams even oversaw the creation of the first public playground in Chicago! The idea was radical for its time — educated (and wealthy) reformers like Addams lived directly among the largely immigrant, working-class neighbors they served, rather than delivering aid from a distance. Jane Addams remained at Hull House from its founding in 1889 until her death in 1935. She wrote about her work in her book, Twenty Years at Hull House.

Jane Addams’s Advocacy Work

Beyond running Hull House, Jane Addams was a determined activist on multiple fronts. In 1910, she became the first woman elected president of the National Conference for Social Work. She advocated for the eight-hour work day, fair housing, support for immigrants, and workers’ compensation for worker’s protection if they get injured on the job. Addams was also a founding member of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and served on numerous committees working to improve conditions for her immigrant neighbors in Chicago. For all her efforts in promoting world peace and connection, she was monitored by the FBI, in similar fashion to the Civil Rights Activists during COINTELPRO.

Why Did Jane Addams Win the Nobel Peace Prize?

Jane Addams won the 1931 Nobel Peace Prize for decades of work connecting social reform to international peace efforts, becoming the first American woman to receive the honor. Her advocacy extended past Hull House and labor reform into peace activism. Her activism was a natural outflow from her belief that poverty, inequality, and conflict were connected problems requiring connected solutions. This is what made Hull House so special and unique.

Hull House Today

Hull House is no longer operating as a settlement house, but the original building still stands in Chicago as a museum. Visitors can tour the site in person or explore it through the Hull House Museum and a virtual tour from the Jane Addams Digital Edition, both of which document her life and the reforms that grew out of her work. I took my sons on an in-person tour on our 2023 spring break trip to Chicago, and it was an informative and awe-inspiring experience to see how one person caring a lot can impact an entire community in Chicago.

Want to introduce kids to more changemakers from this era? See our post on Ruby Bridges, or check out our More to Explore workbook designed to go with biographies like this one.

FAQ

When did Jane Addams open Hull House? Jane Addams opened Hull House in Chicago in 1889, at age twenty-nine, alongside her partner Ellen Gates Starr.

What did Jane Addams win the Nobel Peace Prize for? Jane Addams won the 1931 Nobel Peace Prize for her lifelong work linking social reform, labor rights, and international peace efforts. She was the first American woman to receive the award.

Was Jane Addams the first woman to lead the National Conference for Social Work? Yes. In 1910, Jane Addams became the first female president of the National Conference for Social Work.

Is Hull House still open today? Hull House no longer operates as a settlement house, but the original building survives in Chicago as a museum, and its exhibits are also available through an online virtual tour.

Did Jane Addams help found the ACLU? Yes. Jane Addams was a founding member of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), in addition to her work at Hull House and on social reform committees.

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