The Career of Birdye Henrietta Haynes, a Pioneer Settlement House Worker

This article tells the story of Birdye Henrietta Haynes (1886-1922), a little-known black social welfare pioneer. Haynes was the first black to graduate from the Chicago School of Civics and Philanthropy. She was the head worker at two of the most prominent social settlements for blacks in Chicago and later in New York. Racism and segregation placed strict limitations on what Haynes was able to accomplish during her social work career. This article gives special attention to Haynes's interaction, participation, and advocacy as a "race woman" and examines her relationships with some of the most prominent social welfare reformers of the Progressive Era.