She's most known as a pioneer of social work and volunteerism for founding Hull House in Chicago. She was also a socialist and pacifist who became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
The Hull House Museum is hosted by UIC. Some of their faculty recorded short audio essays about Addams and her work. The one by William Ayers is pretty interesting.
Addams believed that efforts like Hull House weren't enough without systemic societal reforms. That lead her to become a political activist on a variety of issues including immigrant rights, women's rights, child labor, unions, and more.
It's time that Jane Addams be selected to represent Illinois in the US Capitol Statuary Hall Collection instead of James Shields or Frances Willard. "Instead of who?" you may ask. Exactly.