Grace Abbott Essay Example

style="text-align: justify">Abbott also improved the conditions at Ellis Island by inspecting it regularly and using undercover league members to go through the island and on boats used by the companies. Abbott believed that the United States Government was to blame as well as the companies because they did not take precautions to make sure the boats where supplying adequate conditions for the passengers. She voiced this opinion and many others on the abuse of immigrants in her book The Immigrant and the Community that was published in 1917. Along with her book being published Grace Abbott also was elected to be director of the U. S Children’s Bureau in 1917.

While working for the Children’s Bureau she tried to pass the Keating-Owen Act a law that would limit the number of youths hired in companies. The law was declared unconstitutional and was rejected. Abbott however was able to continue part of her law that would be effective in war-goods contracts. She would later work continuously on passing the Sheppard-Towner Act this act would give federal aid to states to start maternal and infant health care programs. This Act was passed in 1921 and continued for eight years.

It was able to help many pregnant and new mothers take care of themselves and their babies. The Sheppard-Towner helped improve many lives of women this was one of the many things women of the Gilded Age fought for. Grace Abbott was one of the many women from the Gilded Age that started the fight for women’s rights. Even though she lived towards the end of the gilded age she fought for general equality and was influential

to many post- Gilded Age reformists. She was able to influence many Americans lives especially those of women, children, and immigrants.