Upton Sinclair and Workers' Rights Upton Sinclair was a prominent American writer and social activist from the early 20th century. He is best known for his book, *The Jungle*, which exposed the terrible working conditions and unsanitary practices of the meatpacking industry. On our Devil In the White City haunted history bus tour , we visit the Union Stockyards gate to discuss the history of Chicago. Once the center of Chicago’s meatpacking district, Sinclair worked incognito in the meatpacking plants for almost two months to gather intel for his novel. Once the novel was released, it caused a public outcry and led to the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act, which established federal inspection of meat products and improved food safety.