Whitney Young Jr.: Social Work Pioneer

Social Work Pioneers Introduction of Pioneer Whitney Young Jr., a social work pioneer was born July31, 1921. He was an african american who lived in the south. He was actually born in his own house, on the campus of the Lincoln Institute of Kentucky. His father and mother taught school there. Both his mother, Laura Ray, and his father Whitney Young, Sr. were considered to be among the “black educated elite.” Whitney’s mother, Laura, was the first black postmaster in Kentucky. Whitney attended school at the Lincoln Institute, which was a predominately white boarding school. He graduated as valedictorian of his class. After graduating, he enrolled at Kentucky College, hoping to become a doctor. After taking a few medical courses, he
changed his mind and started teaching at a local school. Later, Whitney enlisted in the army. Through his experiences in the army, he was led to social work. He attended graduate school at the University of Minnesota where he received his master’s degree in the social work profession. Pioneer’s Contribution to the Social Work Profession Settings/Fields of Socail Work Practice While serving in the army, Young was placed in an all-black regime with a white man at the head. During this time, there were many fights and arguments breaking out within his regime, due to racism. Because of his ability to do so, Whitney was called on to settle many of them. It was then, when Whitney realized what his calling actually was, interracial mediation. While persuing his study in social work, Young was first introduced to the Urban League. The Urban League was a social welfare organization that helped southern blacks adapt to the industrial life or city life. He accepted a position as executive secretary in the Urban League and was offered teaching positions at the University of Nebraska and Creighton University. Young had always been a civil rights activist but became directly involved when he accepted a position as the dean of the Atlanta University,School of Social Work. The school of Social Work’s reputation had been diminishing and Young fought to resurrect it. He was Whitney eventually left the south and went to study at Harvard University. He was then offered a job as president of the National Urban League, where he accepted the offer. Barriers/Challenges/Constraints Whitney Young, Jr fought to overcome the barriers of racism from early on. First of all the school he attended was predominately white. While attending the Unitariun Church, he was subjected to racial tension when the church picnic was to be held at a park where blacks were not allowed. He protested the picnic and the following year the picnic was to be held at a different location, where anyone could attend. Not all people of the black race believed in Whiney. Some people thought he was just being used by the white people. They believed him to be too passive and accepting. Others labeledhim as a “sell out” to whites. Young’s ability to float , from the white community to the black, made him a target for racial slurs and comments. Specific Contibutions/Awards Whitney Young, Jr., was known as a negotiator, pioneer, hero, activist, social worker and an organizer. He was very beneficial to the school of social work. He started programs to end racism and poverty in the United States. He also started the “Domestic Marshall Plan, “ which was a plan to get rid of ghettos. While leading the National Urban League he worked on projects like job training, housing and tutoring centers. He also started the Head Start Education Program, that is in use today. He founded the Urban Coalition, a group that focused the country on the problems of the cities. Summary Jane Addams was a pioneer of social work and probably the most prominent and well known ladies of the past. Jane was born in Cedarville, Illinois on September 6, 1860. She was the one of nine children. Jane’s mother, Sarah, died during childbirth. Jane’s father, John gave her all the comforts he possibly could. Ten years after Jane’s mothers’s death, her father remarried. Jane’s father, John, was a very influential, distinguished ,businessman, with friends like Abraham Lincoln. He was elected eight years ina row to the Illinois Legislature. Her worked hard all of his life, saved and eventually bought a bank. John Addams quickly became the center of his daughter’s life. She absolutely idolized him, and wanted to become just like him. She liked spending every moment she could with him. As for religion, John Addams gave money to every church in their town but never joined any of them. He believed that everyone had an inner light and that you had to be true to yourself to make it. Jane, on the other hand, felt the need for a religion or church, something to keep her on the right track. Like her father, she never claimed a church either. Jane was one of the women of her generationto attend college. In 1977, Jane attended Rockford Female Seminary, which later changed to Rockford College for Women. She graduated and was class veledictorian. She wanted to continue her education in medicine but her father thought if she continued schooling, she would never get maried. Jane did not want to marry or raise children. She felt like she was meant too serve people in a way that would change their lives. Pioneer’s Contribution to the Social Work Profession Settings/Fields of Social Work Jane Addams is largely known for her work in helping poor people help themselves. The values and ethics, together with this philosophy, became the framework of the social work profession. After a trip to Europe with her friends, she came back to the United States and commited to starting a settlement house like the one she saw in the slums of London. Together with her friend, Ellen Star, they founded the Hull House. The Hull House was the first settlement house in the United Statescommitted to serving the less fortunate. After a few years the Hull House offered schooling, medical care, legal aid, child care, music, art and dramato the underpriveledged. Jane adams not only fought for the less fortunate, she fought to change laws too. She forced politicians to look closely at child labor laws, factory inspection system and the criminal justice system. She worked to make it mandatory for children to go to school, govern the time women could work, protection for immigrants, the recognition of labor unions, and to provide safety for workers in industries. All of these reforms led to the right to vote for women. Barriers/Challenges/Constraints Jane Addams faced many challenges that she was forced to face head on. First was the problem of marriage. In that day and time it was the norm for a woman to get married and have children. Jane did not want this for herself and it saddened her deeply to go against her father’s wishes, but she wanted a career. This dilemma with the family sent Jane into a depression. * After taking the family on a trip to Europe, Jane’s father, John passed away.
With the feelings of guilt, and the absence of her father and idle, Jane sank into a deeper depression. *She felt guilty because she thought her father died being upset with her over her choice of having a career rather than being a wife and mother. Jane then had to face surgery for a spinal problem. After surgery, she was placed in a brace, where she could not move, for one year. Critcism was something Jane experienced plenty of. Jane took a stand against workers during the Haymarket riots. She was often ridiculed for her opposing views of World War I. Jane was awarded a honorary doctorate from the University of Chicago. The administration of the university overturned their decision. Jane was actually kicked out of the Daughters of the American Revolution for her stand against the war. Jane was accused of being a socialist and even labeled as a communist. Specific Contributions/Awards Jane Addams made so many contributions to the world today. Of course, the first one being the Hull House, the first settlement house in the United States. The Hull House itself, is like today’s community center. It was there, at the Hull House, where Jane organized the first kindergarden class in the United
States. Workers from the Hull House, together with Jane, were responsible for the National Consumer’s League, the first women to head federal agencies, the Children’s Bureau, the Women’s Bureau of the United States Department of Labor, the passing of the Social Security Act in 1935, and AFDC.
AFDC is the base of our welfare system today. Jane became a popular author and lecturer or speaker. They wrote about poverty and the basic idea of helping your neighbor, race, education and world peace. She had articles published and put together in 1902 as Democracy and Social Ethics. She had articles published in the American Journal of Sociology. Addams was always intersted in women and how they were treated. She served as an officer in the National Women’s Suffrage Association. Jane was instrumental in forming the National Progressive Party in 1912. Theodore Roosevelt was seeking the presidential nomination and asked Addams to second the nomination, because of her popularity at this time. This was the first time in history a woman was asked to do this. Jane was an activist for world peace. She was a founder of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. In later years, she was appointed to help Herbert Hoover supply the enemy nations with relief supplies. In 1931, Jane Addams was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Jane continued her work until her death in
1935. Summary Jane Addams knew she wanted to help people . She knew this at an early age.As a result of Jane Addam’s accomplishments , the world has changed considerably. In this day and time, women can vote, children must go to school, hours worked are regulated. We now have a welfare system in place to help the less fortunate. Her legacy on the world today is too great to mention. I could only hope to be someone as influential as Jane was. She put herself right there in the middle of the areas that needed help. She did not discriminate and stood firm in her beliefs and I would hope that I could do the same.