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Julia Lathrop - America's First Official Mother

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Julia Lathrop - America's First Official Mother

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Julia Lathrop had a long and successful life advocating for women, children, and the mentally ill. She strived to create better conditions for all groups, and make a better life for those that she encountered.

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Julia Lathrop was born in 1858 to two parents who were also involved in bettering the lives of others: Julia's father was a politician involved in civil service, women's suffrage, and welfare issues while Julia's mother was an advocate for abolition, women's suffrage, and better the community (Social Welfare History Project, 2011).

Julia graduated from Vassar College in 1880, transferring there after a brief period at the Rockford Female Seminary. Following graduation, Julia was involved in her father's law practice. In 1888, Julia then joined Hull-House, along with Ellen Gates Starr and Jane Addams.

During her time at Hull House, Julia evaluated the diving conditions of residential facilities and the poor conditions individuals faces, which she published in the "Hull House Maps and Papers."This work led to her appointment to the Illinois State Board of Charities in 1892 where she continued to evaluate "mental health organization, orphanages, shelters, and soup kitchens," (Vassar Encylopedia, n.d.).

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Berkeley Library. (25 January, 2019). Primary sources: Records of the Children's Bureau, 1912-1969. https://update.lib.berkeley.edu/2019/01/25/primary-sources-records-of-the-childrens-bureau-1912-1969/

Peabody, H. (n.d). Julia Lathrop. Learning to Give. https://www.learningtogive.org/resources/julia-lathrop

Quotes retrieved from: https://www.inspiringquotes.us/author/8884-julia-lathrop

Ryerson, J. (n.d). Hull-House and the 'Garbage Ladies' of Chicago. National Park Service. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/hull-house-and-the-garbage-ladies-of-chicago.htm

Social Welfare History Project. (2011). Julia Clifford Lathrop (1858-1932): First chief of the Children’s Bureau and advocate for enactment of the Sheppard-Towner Maternity and Infancy Act of 1921. https://socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/federal/lathrop-julia-clifford/

Vassar Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Julia Lathrop. https://www.vassar.edu/vcencyclopedia/alumni/julia-lathrop.html#:~:text=The%20first%20woman%20to%20be,poor%20nutrition%2C%20and%20juvenile%20delinquency.

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In 1899, Julia established the first juvenile court in the United States, which was located in Chicago (Vassar Encyclopedia, n.d.).

Julia Lathrop was the first woman bureau chief in the federal government, being appointed by President Taft to be the chief of the Childrens Bureau at its creation in 1912. Here, she was able to address issues such as children's labor and juvenile delinquency.

During her 10 years of service, Julia's bureau distributed pamphlets regarding the needs of pregnant women and how to care for children, increased the bureau's budget and the Sheppard-Towner Maternity and Infancy Act was created, to reduce the nation's high infant mortality rate and improve maternal care (Social Welfare History Project, 2011).

Anther act that Julia was involved with was the Keating-Owen Child Labor Act of 1916, which prohibited "interstate commerce of goods manufactured by children," and led to the Child Labor Division in the bureau to enforce the act (Vassar Encyclopedia, n.d.).

Julia also was involved in children's welfare in Europe. Julia, along with Grace Abbott, was sent to an international conference on child welfare in Europe in 1918, where she became part of form a children's bureau in Czechoslovakia. Later, after her time in the US Children's Bureau, she traveled to Switzerland to speak for the League of Nations Childcare Commission (Vassar Encyclopedia, n.d.).

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Julia's work with many different groups had a huge impact on social work. Through her work with creating the juvenile court and working against child labor, she helped to set the precedent that juveniles and adults should be treated differently.

Julia also "advocated for the separation of the mentally ill, sick, aged and disabled that were collectively institutionalized within the same facility. She recommended that separate facilities be established to provide for the specific needs for the varying groups," (Peabody, n.d). We still see the impact of this today by having separate areas of hospitals, different types of treatment facilities, and staff that are trained to meet the unique needs of each person.

The Children's Bureau that Julia led in its creation still exists today, receives funding from the US Department of Heath and Human Services, and continues to protect and advocate for children (Peabody, n.d.).