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NASW Pioneers Biography Index


The National Association of Social Workers Foundation is pleased to present the NASW Social Work Pioneers®. NASW Pioneers are social workers who have explored new territories and built outposts for human services on many frontiers. Some are well known, while others are less famous outside their immediate colleagues, and the region where they live and work. But each one has made an important contribution to the social work profession, and to social policies through service, teaching, writing, research, program development, administration, or legislation.

The NASW Pioneers have paved the way for thousands of other social workers to contribute to the betterment of the human condition; and they are are role models for future generations of social workers. The NASW Foundation has made every effort to provide accurate Pioneer biographies.  Please contact us at naswfoundation@socialworkers.org to provide missing information, or to correct inaccurate information. It is very important to us to correctly tell these important stories and preserve our history.  

Please note, an asterisk attached to a name reflects Pioneers who have passed away. All NASW Social Work Pioneers® Bios are Copyright © 2021 National Association of Social Workers Foundation. All Rights Reserved.

    
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Benjamin Emmanual Youngdahl Photo
Benjamin Emmanual Youngdahl* (1897-1970)

Benjamin Youngdahl was a public welfare administrator, educator and lecturer. He influenced the social work profession as President of the American Association of Schools of Social Work in 1947-1948. He was President of the American Association of Social Work from 1951-1953 and the National Conference on Social Work in 1955-1956. He graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1920 and earned an M.A. from Columbia University and returned to Gustavus Adolphus College as a professor of sociology and economics.

During the depression, Youngdahl worked in various Minnesota welfare programs, becoming Director of Social Services for the State Emergency Relief Administration and Director of Public Assistance State Board of Control in 1937. In 1939 Youngdahl joined the faculty of the Washington University, George Warren Brown School of Social Work, St. Louis, Missouri. As the Dean of the School from 1945 to 1962, Youngdahl upgraded training status, developed a more integrated curriculum, doubled the school's enrollment and established a doctoral program in 1947. The school was the first division of Washington University to admit blacks. For his concern for civil liberties, he received the Florena Loeher Award for Social Work in 1963. His best known writing was his book "Social Action in Social Work" in 1966.

Most sources dealing with Benjamin Youngdahl's life and professional career can be located in papers of Benjamin Youngdahl and the National Association of Social Workers at the Social Welfare History Archives at the University of Minnesota. Youngdahl wrote many articles and gave many speeches and these can be found in many of the early social work publications, The Compass, Social Work Journal, the proceedings of the National Conference for Education for Social Work. For useful information regarding Benjamin Youngdahl's family background, see Robert Espjorson's biography of Youngdahl's brother Luther, the former Governor of Minnesota.




Newly Inducted NASW Social Work Pioneer Hortense McClinton 2015

Nominate A New NASW Pioneer

Please note, Pioneer nominations made between today’s date through March 31, 2023, will not be reviewed until spring 2023.

Completed NASW Pioneer nominations can be submitted throughout the year and are reviewed at the June Pioneer Steering Committee Meeting. To be considered at the June meeting, submit your nomination package by March 31. To learn more, visit our Pioneer nomination guidelines.


New Pioneers 

Congratulations newly elected Pioneers!  Pioneers will be inducted at the 2024  Annual Program and Luncheon. Full biographies and event details coming soon.


2024