Jacob Riis was an American reformer and muck raking journalist. He exposed the horrid conditions that immigrants and the poor were forced to endure in rapidly industrializing cities. He supported increased social programs for the poor and expansion of social welfare programs. His work brought more attention to the plight of the poor, fueled the creation of more services during the Progressive Era for the poor and inaugurated the use of photojournalism as a tool in addressing social ills.