Mary E. Hurlbutt, born in 1888 in Greenwich, Connecticut, is renowned for her distinguished career as a social worker and immigrants’ rights activist. Having completed her education at Columbia University’s New York School of Social Work, Hurlbutt furthered her expertise through research ventures in Vienna, London, Paris, and Italy. A devout Christian, she actively engaged with the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) and swiftly ascended to the roles of Immigration Secretary in 1919 and later as the director of the Immigration Service Bureau in 1922.
Grounded in her social work background and enriched by her international experiences, Hurlbutt developed a profound empathy for immigrants. Witnessing the global upheaval post-World War I, she foresaw the evolving landscape and recognized that traditional immigration standards would become outdated.
“In the old days, immigrants used to settle in a few large cities,” Hurlbutt reflected. “Under the present act, they will tend to be more dispersed, increasing the need for all schools of social work to include in their curricula an understanding of technical and cultural problems.”
