Florence Kelley
(1859-1932)

Florence Kelley was a reformer and advocate for children's rights. She began her career in activism as a socialist in New York City where she lived with her husband, a socialist Russian whom she had met while a student in Switzerland, and their three children. Eventually the couple divorced and Florence assumed custody of the children. By 1891 Florence had joined Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr at Hull House, the Chicago settlement house that was a crucial site for the American social reform movement and for women's activism. From there she wrote widely and fought for the rights of women, children, and all working people. She was secretary of the National Consumers League, a leading organization in the fight to improve the conditions of women's and children's labor. She also sat on the board of the highly successful National Child Labor Committee. Many of her initiatives were incorporated into federal legislation during the New Deal just after her death.