Richard T. Ely was an American economist, author, and prominent leader within the Progressive movement. Born in 1854 in Ripley, New York, he dedicated his career to studying political economy and advocating for government intervention to address capitalist injustices. He sought to reform issues such as child labor, factory conditions, and labor union rights. Throughout his academic life, which included teaching at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Wisconsin–Madison, he remained a devout member of the Episcopal Church and sought to apply Christian principles to social challenges.