Kelley, Florence (1859-1932), was an American social reformer. She supported better working conditions, particularly for women, and child welfare.
In the early 1890’s, Kelley studied living and working conditions in Chicago. Her work led to the passage of an Illinois law that limited women’s working hours, prohibited child labor, and regulated sweatshop work. Kelley was the state’s chief factory inspector from 1893 to 1897.
From 1899 to 1932, Kelley was the general secretary of the National Consumers League. This organization urged people to support businesses that provided fair working conditions. Kelley’s speeches and writings helped bring about minimum wage laws in several states. In 1912, Congress established the Children’s Bureau, an agency proposed by Florence Kelley and Lillian Wald, who was a pioneer in public health nursing. Kelley was also a lifelong socialist and a leader in the woman suffrage movement.
Florence Molthrop Kelley was born on Sept. 12, 1859, in Philadelphia. She graduated from Cornell University in 1882. She earned a law degree from Northwestern University in 1984. She died on Feb. 17, 1932.
