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Research Note #5:
Locations Involving Early Social Security History |
| This Research Note seeks to identify
locations (outside the White House or other standard government
sites) in which early historical events involving Social Security
have occurred. |
1. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania -
1795: Revolutionary War hero Thomas Paine published his
last great pamphlet, "Agrarian Justice," in which he proposed
a comprehensive social insurance system for the new nation. This
was the first serious proposal for something like modern social
insurance.
2. Albany,
N.Y., - February 28, 1929 - FDR Message to N.Y. State Legislature
: As governor of N.Y., FDR proposes a commission to study
the question of security against old-age, poverty, and want. FDR
Quote: "No greater tragedy exists in modern civilization
than the aged, worn-out worker who after a life of ceaseless effort
and useful productivity must look forward for his declining years
to a poorhouse. A modern social consciousness demands a more humane
and efficient arrangement."
3. Long Beach,
California - September, 1933: Dr. Frances Townsend announces
the Townsend Plan for old-age pensions. This Plan soon became a
nationwide mass movement and its popularity was one of the factors
pushing President Roosevelt to introduce launch the Committee on
Economic Security in the summer of 1934.
4. Madison,
Wisconsin - 1934: The University of Wisconsin at Madison
was the place of origin of several of the key intellectual founders
of Social Security, including: Edwin Witte, Executive Director of
the Committee on Economic Security (CES); Arthur Altmeyer, Social
Security's first Commissioner; and Wilbur Cohen, SSA's first employer,
later Secretary of HEW and prime mover behind the Medicare program.
5. National Conference on Economic Security - Hotel
Mayflower, Washington, D.C., November 14, 1934: This was
the nation's first "town-hall" meeting on Social Security.
It was sponsored by the President's Committee on Economic Security.
President Roosevelt addressed the conference leaders in the White
House. FDR Quote: There are other matters with
which we must deal before we shall give adequate protection to the
individual against the many economic hazards. Old age is at once
the most certain, and for many people the most tragic of all hazards.
There is no tragedy in growing old, but there is tragedy in growing
old without means of support. . . Organizations promoting
fantastic schemes have aroused hopes which cannot possibly be fulfilled.
Through their activities they have increased the difficulties of
getting sound legislation; but I hope that in time we may be able
to provide security for the aged--a sound and a uniform system which
will provide true security.
6. New Hampshire
- August 23,1935: John G. Winant, three-time Republican
Governor of New Hampshire, became the first Chairman of the new
Social Security Board.
7. Austin, Texas- October
14, 1936: First Social Security field office opened.
8. Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania - October 29, 1936 -
FDR Campaign Address: FDR speaks about a pay envelope campaign
by opponents of Social Security, and the real purposes of the insurance
provisions of the Act. FDR Quote: "This
pay envelope propaganda has one clear objective -- to sabotage the
Social Security Act... Get these facts straight. The Act provides
two kinds of insurance for the worker... The first kind of insurance
covers old-age... The second kind of insurance is unemployment insurance
to help the worker and his family over the difficult days when he
loses his job."
9. Baltimore, Maryland-
November 9, 1936: Social Security's record-keeping operations
were started in the Candler Building in Baltimore's harbor district.
10. New Rochelle, New York - December 1, 1936:
Mr. John David Sweeney, Jr. of New Rochelle received the first Social
Security number.
11. During May/June 1936:
Social Security's 12 Regional Offices were opened in the following
cities: Boston, Massachusetts; New York, New York; Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania; Washington, D.C.; Birmingham, Alabama; Chicago, Illinois;
Minneapolis, Minnesota; Kansas City, Missouri; Cleveland, Ohio;
San Antonio, Texas; Denver, Colorado; San Francisco, California.
12. Cleveland, Ohio- March 1937: Retired motorman
Ernest Ackerman became first person to receive a Social Security
payment (a one-time payment).
13. Marietta, Ohio
- July 8, 1938 - FDR Address on Popular Government: FDR
provides an analogy on how Federal, State and Local government laws
play the same role of insurer of security for the average man, woman,
and child as did Army detachments in settling the Northwest Territory.
FDR Quote: "Once old age was safe because
there was always something useful which men and women, no matter
how old, could do to earn an honorable maintenance. That time is
gone; and some new kind of organized old-age insurance has to be
provided."
14. Ludlow, Vermont - January
1940: Miss Ida May Fuller became the first person to receive
recurring monthly Social Security payments.
15.
Byers Peak Ranch near Fraser, Colorado- September 1, 1954:
President Eisenhower signed the 1954 Social Security Amendments
into law. This legislation established the "disability freeze"
and was the precursor to cash disability benefits, which would be
added to the law in 1956.
16. Truman Presidential
Library- Independence, Missouri; July 30, 1965: President
Lyndon Johnson and a delegation of Congressional leaders went to
the Truman Library to sign the Medicare program into law. At the
ceremony President Johnson signed up former President Truman as
the first Medicare beneficiary.
17. Anniston, Alabama
- September 1967: The first Social Security field office
built with Trust Fund money opened. (All earlier offices were either
leased space or were paid for out of SSA's administrative budget.)
18. San Clemente, California - July 1, 1972:
President Nixon signed into law the bill creating automatic annual
COLAs (Cost of Living Allowances) for Social Security.
19. Camp David, Maryland - October 30, 1972: President
Nixon signed the Social Security Amendments of 1972 into law. Among
other provisions, this Act created the SSI program. |
| Bob Krebs
SSA Historian's Office
1999 |
|
www.socialsecurity.gov
