Women Wage-Earners: Their Past, Their Present, and Their Future

"Women Wage-Earners: Their Past, Their Present, and Their Future" by Helen Campbell is a late 19th-century exploration of working women's lives, looking at their economic struggles and societal positions. It begins with an introduction by Richard T. Ely, who says it's about the rising recognition of women's rights and welfare as vital to society. He touches on past fights for women's economic freedom, noting that early demands were simple but that understanding has grown more complicated. Campbell then adds that her book started as an award-winning study meant to help people learn about women's jobs. The book dives into the challenges that women face in finding good work, how their jobs affect their families and society, and the limited availability of detailed information in the area; this sets the stage for an ethics-and-social-justice intertwined examination of women’s experience in the work force.