From Charity to Social Work: Mary E. Richmond and the Creation of an American Profession - Hardcover

Agnew, Elizabeth N.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0252028759 ISBN 13: 9780252028755

Publisher: University of Illinois Press, 2003

Synopsis

Mary E. Richmond (1861-1928) was a contemporary of Jane Addams and an influential leader in the American charity organization movement.  In this biography--the first in-depth study of Richmond's life and work--Elizabeth N. Agnew examines the contributions of this important, if hitherto under-valued, woman to the field of charity and to its development into professional social work.
 
Orphaned at a young age and largely self-educated, Richmond initially entered charity work as a means of self-support, but came to play a vital role in transforming philanthropy--previously seen as a voluntary expression of individual altruism--into a valid, organized profession. Her career took her from charity organization leadership in Baltimore and Philadelphia to an executive position with the prestigious Russell Sage Foundation in New York City.
 
Richmond's progressive civic philosophy of social work was largely informed by the social gospel movement. She strove to find practical applications of the teachings of Christianity in response to the social problems that accompanied rapid industrialization, urbanization, and poverty. At the same time, her tireless efforts and personal example as a woman created an appealing, if ambiguous, path for other professional women. A century later her legacy continues to echo in social work and welfare reform.
 

About this title

Review

"Elizabeth Agnew is a wonderful stylist, and in this stimulating work she examines the life of a woman who at every turn defied the traditional stereotype of the charity worker. A significant contribution to the history of social work."

Edition details

• Publisher: University of Illinois Press
• Publication date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0252028759
• ISBN 13: 9780252028755
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 304