Twenty Years at Hull-House (Bedford Cultural Editions Series)

A new teaching edition of Twenty Years at Hull-House, this volume is an ideal way to introduce students to one of America’s most famous women and an early leader of the Progressive movement. Jane Addams’s original text has been reduced by about 35 percent, making it more accessible to undergraduates while maintaining the integrity of the original work. Her narrative of life in an immigrant urban neighborhood provides students with an entry into the ideology of the Progressive era and the tenets of social activism. The introduction provides a brief biographical sketch of Addams, outlines the decisions and conviction that led her to found Hull-House, and includes a vivid description of turn-of-the-century Chicago. Related documents include a description of life at Hull-House from the perspective of an immigrant who frequented it, an early review of Addams’s tale, and perspectives from other reformers. Useful apparatus includes photographs, a chronology, a bibliography, and an index.