Wonder Woman of the Week: Jane Addams

Jane Addams was a pioneering social reformer and one of the most influential women in American history, whose work continues to resonate today. Born in 1860 in Cedarville, Illinois, Addams became a leading figure in the settlement house movement, a response to the rapid urbanization and industrialization that defined the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1889, she co-founded Hull House in Chicago, a community center that became a model for social service organizations across the United States. Hull House was more than a shelter; it provided a wide range of services, from educational programs to healthcare, for immigrants and working-class families struggling in the rapidly expanding city.