Jane Addams

Founder of Hull-House in Chicago, first president of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, and co-winner of the 1931 Nobel Peace Prize, Jane Addams was a dedicated crusader for social justice. Her lifes' work was to fight for the under priviliged and oppressed, also for the rights of workers, women and children. Jane Addams was born on September 6, 1860 in the small town of Cedarville, Illinois.

As a child, Jane often felt like an outcast. She was "an ugly, piegon-toed little girl whose crooked back obliged her to walk with her head held very much upon one side." Even though she grew-up in a nice, well-kept community she felt overwhelming sorrow for those in other communities who lived in "horrid little houses," she was always asking herself what could be done to make them less horrid. Feeling like a misfit herself, Jane could sympathize with the misfits and outcasts of society.

Jane studied at Rockford Seminary, a school for girls where the emphasis was on religion and Good Works. After having a breakdown, Jane was sent to Europe to "drink up the culture of the Old World," but instead Jane visited the factories and slums with her companion Ellen Starr. During one of her visits to London's East Side she came upon Toynbee Hall, a religious settlement house for London's poor. It was then that she decided to have her own settlement house one day, but without the emphasis on religion. When Jane and Ellen returned to Chicago they found an old mansion that was built by the merchant, Charles Hull and owned by Helen Culver, a woman known for her generosity. Jane bought the mansion and opened it as a settlement house on September 18, 1889, Hull-House was Chicago's first settlement house.

Jane Addams started one of the greatest social movements in America - the Settlement House movement. Because of Hull-House, Jane Addams bridged the gap between the immigrants and the Old Stock Americans. Halsted Street, where Hull-House was located, was home to many Irish, Germans, Russians, Italians and Poles. These people as well as the American Chicago residents took advantage of Hull-House creating an unsegregated, interracial community. Jane Addams fought for the rights of abused women and children and prejudice against immigrants. Addams found that if she moved into the political scene she would get more accomplished, therefore she turned to actively supporting labor legislation to get important labor reforms recognized by government.

She was a crusader for women's suffrage and legal protection of immigrants and eventually looked to Congress and the President for national action. Addams became the first women to win the Nobel Peace Prize, donating her prize money to the Woman's Peace Party. Addams was the first president of the Woman's International League for Peace and Freedom, an organization which sought to better the lives of all women. She adamantly supported the posititons of the group and had a great impact on the groups successes.

I feel that Jane Addams was a very important person in history. She started the Settlement House movement in the United States and was successful in gaining rights for women, children, and immigrants. She helped lobby for important legislation that would set better working standards, protect the immigrants and grant women equal suffrage. Miss Addams is an inspirational woman because through her, others see that they can accomplish anything if they set their heart on it. In her time women could not accomplish much but she rose above and fought for what she believed in. She was a strong women and I admire her for all that she accomplished.