Ellen Gates Starr was born in 1859 in Illinois. She studied at Rockford Female Seminary, where she met Jane Addams.
Together, they founded Hull House in Chicago in 1889, a settlement house that provided services to poor immigrants. The house offered classes, childcare, and cultural programs. Starr believed education was the key to lifting people out of poverty. She also worked hard for labor reform, speaking against child labor and supporting better working conditions for factory workers. Though Jane Addams became the more famous figure, Starr’s work was just as vital.
She guided programs, taught classes, and spoke out for justice. She also had a deep interest in the arts and believed beauty and creativity could help people live better lives. Later, she joined the labor movement and supported strikes for fair treatment. Ellen Gates Starr died in 1907, but her life showed how women could change cities, create safe spaces, and fight for workers and children.