SSA (Social Security Act)

• When was the Social Security Act?

  August 1935
• What did the SSA do?

  Insurance for unemployed and pensions for elderly were to be funded by contributions from employers and employers
• What else did the SSA set up?

  Aid programmes for the disabled and families with dependant children
• What did the SSA represent?

  A radical change in the role of the federal government and created the first national system of benefits
• How much were payments from the SSA?

  Monthly payments of $10 to $85 depending on how much one contributed themselves
• How much did the payments fluctuate by state?

  For poor dependant children, Massachusetts paid $61 monthly vs Mississippi's $8
• Why were black Americans often excluded from the SSA?

  They often worked as waiters, cooks, janitors, domestic and farm workers who were excluded from the social security coverage