author
Mary Ellen Richmond
1861–1928
A pioneer of modern social work, she helped turn charity work into a more thoughtful, organized profession. Her writing brought careful observation and practical method to the everyday work of helping people and families.
1 Audiobook
Friendly Visiting among the Poor: A Handbook for Charity Workers
by Mary Ellen Richmond
About the author
Born in Belleville, Illinois, on August 5, 1861, Mary Ellen Richmond became one of the key builders of professional social work in the United States. She worked with the Baltimore Charity Organization Society and later with the Russell Sage Foundation, where she helped shape new standards for training, research, and direct practice.
Richmond is especially remembered for developing social casework and for insisting that effective help should be based on careful study of a person's circumstances, family life, and community ties. Her 1917 book Social Diagnosis is widely regarded as a landmark in the field, and she is often described as one of the founding figures of professional social work.
She died in New York City on September 12, 1928, but her influence has lasted far beyond her lifetime. Readers who pick up her work today will find not just history, but the early voice of a profession trying to understand how compassion and clear thinking can work together.