Edition of the Selected Letters of Florence Kelley

This essay introduces readers to American social feminist Florence Kelley & the issues she confronted as a social reformer during the Progressive Era of United States history, 1880-1930. Born into a politically-powerful family that had led antislavery & other reforms, she graduated from a leading American university in 1882 &, after studying in Zurich, translated the writings of Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels. Returning to the United States she lived collectively with other women reformers in the social settlement movement from 1891 to 1927. As head of the National Consumers' League, 1899-1932, Kelley did much to prepare the way for the New Deal of the 1930s, especially through her campaigns against child labor & for the regulation of working hours. More than any other person she was responsible for the introduction & success of minimum wage legislation in the United States. Because American courts overturned legislation that regulated the workplace for men, Kelley campaigned for the regulation of women's hours & wages, then successfully extended that regulation to apply to working men. Adapted from the source document.