Jane Addams on citizenship in a democracy

Abstract

Jane Addams (1860—1935) was passionately committed to citizenship: her own and that of her neighbors around the world. As a feminist pragmatist she was inspired by the core American documents of the US Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence. Based on her multilevel approach to democracy, she is honored world-wide as a premier citizen, although her support of the citizenship of women and African Americans has been criticized, often harshly. This latter literature on Addams is documented here as unwarranted and inaccurate.