by Donna Douraghy
Jane Addams (1860-1935) was an American social reformer and activist who was known for her contributions in solutions to systemic inequalities. She was the eighth child of a wealthy family, obtaining a college education, and vowing to use it for the greater good of society. During a trip to London with her friend Ellen Gates Starr, the pair visited a settlement house and pledged to bring these kinds of services to the United States. In 1889, Addams and Starr co-founded the first settlement house in the United States – Hull House in Chicago. This house offered a multitude of vital services to the public, hosting volunteers to share their skills with those who were less fortunate. These services included women’s education (basic skills and specialized), arts, literature, acculturation classes for immigrants, English classes, cooking, a job-placement bureau, a community center, etc. Notably, Addams lived in Hull House, so she could be close to the people she was serving and better understand their issues. She held listening through observation and engagement in high regard as this harbored a more personal empathetic understanding of the issues the public was facing.
By living in the community she served, Addams listened directly to their feedback, and took this information to actively create systemic change. She lobbied for women’s rights including suffrage and protective legislation. Furthermore, she was instrumental in lobbying for urban sanitation and health improvements, the establishment of a juvenile court system, and was one of the founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). She wrote a book about her work at Hull House, and several books promoting peace. Her skills in listening, empathizing, and actively using them to build her community cemented her as an exemplary servant leader. Hull House offered a community for marginalized groups who were vulnerable in society. There were many social aid programs which specifically helped women, immigrants, and children. Furthermore, her writings exemplified her ability to empathize with others and share a vision where cooperation replaced
competition.
During World War I, Addams joined a group of pacifist women who toured the warring nations, spreading messages of a call to peace. The impact that she had was great, as her work during WWI illustrates how she developed and embodied a hopeful vision for the future through her actions.
In 1915, she led the Women’s Peace Party and became president of the International Congress of Women. Addams wrote articles and gave speeches around the world promoting peace. Additionally, in 1919 she co-founded and served as the president of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. Significantly, she was the first American woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931. She passed away in 1935.
Addam’s life’s work communicated the ideals of public servitude as a servant leader with her exceptional listening skills, empathy, community building, and acting with a hopeful vision for the future. Through living with those she was serving, she gained an empathetic perspective of the real issues that she was systematically solving for society. Furthermore, her work to promote international peace illustrates her penchant for creating a hopeful vision for the future.
“About Jane Addams and Hull-House.” Jane Addams Hull-House Museum,
www.hullhousemuseum.org/about-jane-addams. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.
Michals, Debra. “Biography: Jane Addams.” National Women’s History Museum,
www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/jane-addams. Accessed
5 Dec. 2024.
