Social work has existed for more than a century. The profession can trace a large part of its origin to Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Star, who in 1889 opened Hull House in Chicago to provide social services to the area.

Currently, social workers work in schools, hospitals, with the military, child welfare agencies, community centers, and in federal, state and local governments to improve the human well-being and enhance the basic needs of all people.

Originally, National Professional Social Work Month was introduced by the National Association of Social Workers in 1963 but was not formally recognized until 1984 when it was introduced and formally recognized as National Social Work Month by President Reagan.

The National Association of Social Workers has picked a theme since 2012.  This year’s theme “Social Work Breaks Barriers” “embodies how social workers help empower individuals, families, communities and our society to overcome hurdles that prevent them from achieving better well-being.”

To learn more about social work, and find library resources about it, see the March virtual display for Social Work Month.