Social Security Collection

An unemployed lumberjack with his wife in a migrant workers camp for the bean harvest, Marion County, Oregon
OREGON: LUMBERJACK, 1939. An unemployed lumberjack with his wife in a migrant workers camp for the bean harvest, Marion County, Oregon. The man has his social security number tattooed on his arm

President Franklin D. Roosevelt signing the Social Security Act in the Cabinet Room of the White House, 14 August 1935
SOCIAL SECURITY ACT, 1935. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signing the Social Security Act in the Cabinet Room of the White House, 14 August 1935, flanked by the bills co-authors (in dark suits)

Unemployed lumber worker goes with his wife to the bean harvest, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Unemployed lumber worker goes with his wife to the bean harvest. Note social security number tattooed on his arm. Oregon

Lloyd George is delayed taking a patient to the doctor under his National Health
KDC400248 Lloyd George is delayed taking a patient to the doctor under his National Health Insurance Act, 1913 (litho) by Raven-Hill

Vintage Poster Introducing Social Security, 1935 (lithograph)
2622439 Vintage Poster Introducing Social Security, 1935 (lithograph) by American School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

The Job Centre in Linwood shortly after Peugeot announce the closure of the Talbot car factory in Linwood. February 1981

A monthly check to you. Lithograph poster issued in 1935 by the Social Security Board urging citizens to take advantage
POSTER: SOCIAL SECURITY. A monthly check to you. Lithograph poster issued in 1935 by the Social Security Board urging citizens to take advantage of the recently passed Social Security Act

Ida May Fuller (1874-1975) of Ludlow, Vermont, the first beneficiary under the Social Security system
SOCIAL SECURITY, 1940. Ida May Fuller (1874-1975) of Ludlow, Vermont, the first beneficiary under the Social Security system, holding her first check, January 1940

Actress Doris Sherrell, a performer in Blackouts of 1942, taking the precaution of having artist Jack Julian tattoo her
SOCIAL SECURITY: TATTOO. Actress Doris Sherrell, a performer in Blackouts of 1942, taking the precaution of having artist Jack Julian tattoo her address

SOCIAL SECURITY, 1936. New York City postmen posing in front of the General Post Office Building with the Social Security forms they are about to deliver. Photograph, 1936

CENSUS RECORDING, 1937. A member of the Social Security board photographing Census data under the supervision of Census Bureau Director William L. Austin. Photograph, 1937

Hand-painted sign in Salem, Oregon, advertising Francis Townsends Old Age Revolving Pension Plan
TOWNSEND PLAN, 1939. Hand-painted sign in Salem, Oregon, advertising Francis Townsends Old Age Revolving Pension Plan. Photograph by Dorothea Lange, 1939

FDR Signs Social Security Bill
Washington, D.C.: 1935 President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Social Security Bill. Standing behind Roosevelt, left to right are: Rep

CARTOON: NEW DEAL, 1935. American cartoon, c1935, suggesting that U. S. citizens had been reduced to mere numbers with
CARTOON: NEW DEAL, 1935. American cartoon, c1935, suggesting that U.S. citizens had been reduced to mere numbers with the passage of President Roosevelts Social Security Act

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"Preserving Dignity and Security: The Evolution of Social Security" In the midst of the Great Depression, a powerful photograph captures the struggles faced by an unemployed lumberjack and his wife in Marion County, Oregon. Tattooed on his arm is his social security number, symbolizing hope amidst adversity. This poignant image serves as a reminder of the profound impact that Franklin D. Roosevelt's signing of the Social Security Act had on American society. On August 14, 1935, President Roosevelt signed this groundbreaking legislation into law within the solemn walls of the Cabinet Room at the White House. Flanked by co-authors Robert F. Wagner and David J. Lewis, along with Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins standing steadfastly behind him, Roosevelt ushered in a new era of social protection for all citizens. The engraving titled "Crescendo; or, the tune old cows likely to die off" from 1914 foreshadowed societal challenges that would be addressed through social security measures decades later. It highlighted how vulnerable individuals like unemployed lumber workers sought employment opportunities during difficult times such as bean harvests in Oregon. As Lloyd George experienced delays taking patients to doctors under his National Health initiative years prior, it became evident that comprehensive support systems were necessary to ensure citizens' well-being beyond just healthcare coverage alone. Vintage posters introduced Americans to this transformative concept in 1935—a lithograph urging citizens to take advantage of their newly acquired rights under the Social Security Act. These posters emphasized monthly checks as a lifeline for financial stability during uncertain times. Ida May Fuller from Ludlow, Vermont became an emblematic figure when she received her first check as the inaugural beneficiary under this system in January 1940. Her story resonated across America—proof that social security was not merely an abstract idea but a tangible safety net for those who needed it most.