Jane Addams and her Contributions to Profession of Social Work

From the available literature, it is clear that Addams worked in breadth to see peace prevail and freeing up of the poor and oppressed in our society. Addams was one of the few human beings to get vast recognition by the world considering that she advocated for progressiveness in a way opposed to fellow whites. Between the year 1916 and 1931, she got nomination into the great Nobel Peace Prize ninety-one times. No other woman had received such a massive nomination from the Nobel Peace Prize. Former US President Woodrow Wilson being one of the nominators linked the nominations of Addams to her persistent peaceful activism. While in Europe with her friend visited Toynbee Hall, which was a settlement located in the slums of London.

This catalyzed her making her interest in working for the people living in poverty once back to her mother city. The excitement created during the visit to Toynbee House evoked her efforts of founding Chicago Hull House. She now got interested in pursuing revolution in social work, and she used Chicago House to provide shelter for poor American population as well as immigrants. Later she came to be termed as the “mother” of social work due to her active involvement in providing settlement for the poor American people and immigrants. Her main aim was working for the poor, activity which brought her satisfaction as she was following her heart’s desire. The 1893 economic depression, Addams became aware that poverty was connected to public policies.

Since the public policies of the day contributed to the outbreak of the 1893 economic depression because of their inefficiency, Addams decided to become a political activist to work for the vulnerable groups in the society. She advocated for the making legislation aimed at protecting the poor, children, women, and the poor. At the activist level, she involved herself in the Haymarket riot aimed at giving grievances on the problematic conditions laborers in industries got subjected to (Allen, 2008). As the World War I approached Addams was elected in the Women’s Peace Party as the national chairman. This gave her the opportunity to attend the International Congress of Women at The Hague (Elshtain, 2002). While in the international congress, her recognition due to her hard work continued to escalate.

She got a selection becoming the head of the commission that was tasked to find a solution to the end of World War I. Addams achieved the spread of peace and peace-building by successfully writing a series of three books about peace and peace-building. Addams is known as a woman of her kind since she did not only talk about the issues needed for the change to be effected in the world but worked towards achievement what she advocated for (she was actively involved in the change process). Addams being “mother” of social work social workers in our contemporary society are critical in the exposition of challenges faced by the poor and oppressed and working to bring justice for them. The engaging the public in the process will help in raising consciousness among them hence achieving this course.