In 1889, while many Americans were disdainful of newly arrived immigrants, Jane Addams established Hull-House as a refuge for Chicago's poor. The settlement house provided an unprecedented variety of social services. In this inspiring autobiography, Addams chronicles the institution's early years and discusses the ever-relevant philosophy of social justice that served as its foundation.

In this landmark biography, Jane Addams becomes America's most admired and most hated woman—and wins the Nobel Peace Prize. Jane Addams (1860-1935) was a leading statesperson in an era when few imagined such possibilities for women. In this fresh interpretation, the first full biography of Addams in nearly forty years, Louise W. Knight shows Addams's boldness, creativity, and tenacity as she sought ways to put the ideals of democracy into action. Starting in Chicago as a co-founder of the nation's first settlement house, Hull House—a community center where people of all classes and ethnicities could gather—Addams became a grassroots organizer and a partner of trade unionists, women, immigrants, and African Americans seeking social justice. In time she emerged as a progressive political force; an advocate for women's suffrage; an advisor to presidents; a co-founder of civil rights organizations, including the NAACP; and a leader for international peace. Written as a fast-paced narrative, Jane Addams traces how one woman worked with others to make a difference in the world.

Jane Addams's early attempt to empower the people with information

A look at the life of the "pacifist" Jane Addams.

Offers a pictorial history of the famous settlement house founded in 1889 which offered a variety of community services, social activities, and educational opportunities to nourish the spirits and address the material needs of its working class neighborson the Near West Side of Chicago.

Axios's Essence of...Series takes the greatest works of practical philosophy and pares them down to their essence. Selected passages flow together to create a seamless work that will capture your interest from page one. Jane Addams was arguably the most influential woman in American history. Her mission as a public intellectual, social activist and reformer shines forth brightly in her inspiring and easy-to-read autobiography. In her time, she was as famous as a president.