Hull House- A Light in a Dark World
Hull House was opened on Halsted, in the heart of the immigrant section, by Jane Addams in 1889. Addams wanted to give immigrants and the working class more social and educational opportunities and used Hull House as the headquarters for her mission. The first law in Illinois regulating sanitary work conditions and setting a minimum work age of 14 was put in place, largely because of Addams' efforts. Addams also rallied for immigration rights, as well as voting rights for women, long before mainstream suffrage movements began.
Her dedication to the impoverished and immigrants greatly helped hundreds of people who otherwise would have been forgotten about. She helped new immigrants learn English so they would have a better chance of getting a job and provided child care services for those who had no one to help them care for their children. With these acquired skills, the new immigrants had a better chance of making a decent life for themselves in Chicago. Job competition was fierce and with the help of Addams and Hull House, the immigrants and impoverished became better qualified for jobs that were more likely to give them decent pay as well as jobs that had a decent working environment.
Like Upton Sinclair, Jane Addams used her voice to advocate for the need for social change in Chicago and hundreds benefitted from her hard work and generosity.