Jane Addams: Champion of Democracy

Most people know Jane Addams (1860-1935) as the force behind Hull House, one of the first settlement houses in the United States. She was also an ardent suffragist and civil rights activist, co-founding the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the American Civil Liberties Union. But it was her work as a pacifist that put her in the international spotlight. Although many people labeled her “unpatriotic” for her pacifist activities, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931 and, at the time of her death, Jane Addams was one of the most respected and admired women in the world. In this well-researched and inspiring account, acclaimed husband-and-wife team, Dennis Brindell Fradin and Judith Bloom Fradin, draw upon hundreds of historical documents and archival photographs to create a revealing portrait of the woman whose very way of life made her an American icon.

"What distinguishes this [Jane Addams biography] is the broader context that the Fradins establish." School Library Journal, Starred

"A fascinating and rich life is related in strong, unfussy prose by the Fradins." Booklist, ALA, Starred Review

"This remarkable team...aptly captures the shaping of Jane Addams's (1860-1935) character." Publishers Weekly, Starred

"An important work that will introduce an important American to a new generation of readers." Kirkus Reviews

"The Fradins present a complex woman whose ideas are enduring and particularly timely in our day." Horn Book

"A solid introduction to one of the premier figures of the last century." Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"This carefully documented and well developed account draws from Addams's own writings on the value of human life." Horn Book Guide, Pointer