| Born May 3rd 1849 in Ribe, Denmark |
|
| Jacob A. Riis was the founder of the Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement
House. Riis came to new York in 1870 and nearly died of starvation during
his first three years as a penniless, unemployed immigrant. Only after
a long period of trial and tribulation did he get a job as a reporter. |
| Riis worked for The New York Tribune from 1877 to 1888 and then at The New York Evening Sun until 1899. His book, "How the Other Half Lives" (1890) exposed conditions previously thought not to exist in America. Riis used photography to bring unprecedented public awareness to pressing social problems through a relatively new medium. |
| In 1888, he established the Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement House to meet the needs of newly arrived immigrants in collaboration with the King's daughters, an organization of Episcopalian church women. In 1901 the organization was renamed the Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement House. |
| In it's early years, the Settlement House offered sewing classes, mothers clubs, health care, a summer camp, and a penny provident bank. In 1897, the Settlement House moved into its first home at 48 Henry Street. Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement House continued to diversify activities, broadening the scope of activities to include athletics,-citizenship classes, and drama. In the 1940's and 50's, the Settlement House began to offer programs for residents of public housing developments in Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan. At the same time, the original Settlement House building was sold; in 1950, Jacob A. Riis Settlement House moved all of it's activities to the Queensbridge Houses in Long Island City, Queens. |
| The mission of Jacob Riis and the Settlement House today is to act as
a catalyst to help the under-served to make the best of their native talents,
reach their fullest potential, and become socially & economically self-sufficient,
and thus independent of charity and tax-funded subsidies. |
| For more information about this great institution see their website http://www.riissettlement.org |
