Jane Addams

American activist and reformer

Famous Persons

Who was Jane Addams?

Laura Jane Addams (September 6, 1860 – May 21, 1935) was an American settlement activist, reformer, social worker, sociologist, public administrator, philosopher, and author. Earlier, Addams was awarded an honorary Master of Arts degree from Yale University in 1910, becoming the first woman to receive an honorary degree from the school. She was a leader in the history of social work and women's suffrage. In 1889, Addams co-founded Hull House, one of America's most famous settlement houses, in Chicago, Illinois, providing extensive social services to poor, largely immigrant families.

Jane Addams as a young woman, undated studio portrait by Cox, Chicago

Historical significance

Philosophically a "radical pragmatist", she was arguably the first woman public philosopher in the United States. In the Progressive Era, when even presidents such as Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson identified themselves as reformers and might be seen as social activists, Addams was one of the most prominent reformers. An advocate for world peace, and recognized as the founder of the social work profession in the United States, in 1931 Addams became the first American woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize; she shared the win with Nicholas Murray Butler.

Sources and further reading

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MLA

“Jane Addams.” thisDay, thisday.info/people/jane-addams/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

APA

Jane Addams. (n.d.). thisDay. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://thisday.info/people/jane-addams/

Chicago

“Jane Addams.” thisDay. Accessed October 19, 2026. https://thisday.info/people/jane-addams/.

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