This Day in History: 1860-09-06

Jane Addams is born this day in 1860 in Cedarville, Illinois. A leader of the Progressive women’s movement, Addams founded Hull House in Chicago as way to extend education, social services and political advocacy to the poor of Chicago. She fought against child labor, water and air pollution and many other problems. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931. The committee said the award was for her “expression of an essentially American democracy.” But in fact, the Prize helped protect her from allegations of communism and attacks on her character that are frequently part of the life of any prominent reformer. (Also see this Library of Congress resource page).