Jane Addams's view on immigrants was complicated. On one hand, Addams welcomed immigrants into Hull House and wanted to improve their lives and station in America. On the other hand, Addams resented many of the “Old World” ways that immigrants brought with them to America, and Addams tried her best to change those ways.
Hull House was established in Chicago’s West Side in 1889 as a settlement house for recently arrived immigrants. (During this period, many of the recently arrived immigrants to Chicago would have been from Italy, Ireland, Germany, and Poland.) Addams's goal with Hull House was to “Americanize” immigrants—that is, to teach immigrants English, American customs and values, and Protestantism.
For the most part, Addams was critical of immigrants in regards to their religion. Many of the immigrants to Chicago during this period were Catholic, and Addams was a fervent Protestant. Addams was a leader of the anticlerical movement in the US, which criticized the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church. Protestants, like Addams, believed that there was no need for a spiritual advisor (bishops, priests, the pope) between an individual and God. Furthermore, as a part of her “Americanization” process for immigrants, Addams encouraged many Catholics to convert to Protestantism, since Protestantism was the predominant religion in the US.
While Addams's views may seem insensitive to us today, we must remember that many Americans shared in this view during the time. Moreover, many Americans resented immigrants and immigration altogether. So Addams's complicated views were in line with the complicated times.
For more information, see: James R. Barrett, The Irish Way: Becoming American in the Multiethnic City (New York, NY: Penguin Books, 2013).
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
What is Jane Addams's view on immigrants? At times, it seems that she blames them for a lot of short comings.
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