Jane Addams

One of the greatest American social reformers of the 20th Century spoke in Richmond on the need to help others.

Jane Addams was a humanitarian who strongly believed in the need for research into the causes of poverty and crime, and in social action to press for reform for the downtrodden.

Her famous “democratic settlement” Hull House was a neighborhood center in Chicago designed for people of every ethnic group, and had a number of programs to help the less fortunate.

When she was first in Richmond on Aug. 1, 1899 to address the Friends’ Bible institute at Earlham in Lindley Hall, she spoke about doing work among the lower classes of several cities and advocated social equality.

She returned on Jan. 23, 1906.

She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931.

Among the reforms she succeeded with were the first eight-hour law for working women, the first state child-labor law, housing reform, and the first juvenile court system. She also led the fight that gave women the right to vote.

When she was in Richmond her message was about tolerance and acceptance… a message still much in need.