1866-1951 Professor and Social Activist.

Background.

The progressive movement found one of its greatest proponents in Edward Alsworth Ross, a gargantuan man with what contemporaries referred to as a "magnificent" head. He stood six feet six inches tall, and his size mimicked the way the professor loomed over the Progressive Era, always willing to contribute a juicy quote for newspapermen or another article outlining his positions. Professor Ross was a genuinely decent and thoughtful man. He was extremely loyal and generous with his graduate students and colleagues. For years he counseled and gave financial assistance to a worthy scholar who lost his post at a university because of his outspokenly radical views. Ross grew up in the Midwest as an orphan and was raised by many concerned groups. He attended Coe College, a small school where he emerged as a natural leader. He graduated in...