Agency Documents

Not only does the Wyoming State Library Federal Documents collection contain useful Congressional and Presidential documents, but also many publications by various federal agencies.  One example is the Social Security Board, which existed from 1935 to 1946. 

On August 14, 1935, against the backdrop of dark economic times of the Great Depression, President Franklin Roosevelt signed into law The Social Security Act of 1935.  Upon the signing of the Social Security Act on August 14, 1935, a three-person Social Security Board was created to run the new program.  The Social Security Act was a revolutionary idea at the time of its inception and many found it very controversial.  Focusing on this revolutionary legislation and subsequent reaction and reform, might be a possible topic for your students.  Within the Wyoming State Library collection are a series of Informational Service Circulars published under the newly created Social Security Board.  These circulars include:

·         Call #: SS 1.4:1/8

A Brief Explanation of the Social Security Act – Informational Service Circular No. 1, 1938

·         Old-Age Insurance under the Social Security Act – Informational Service Circular No. 3, 1938

·         Call #: SS 1.4:6/4

Aid to Dependent Children under the Social Security Act – Informational Service Circular No. 6, 1937

·         Call #: SS1.4:4/7

Social Security: What and Why? – Informational Service Circular No. 7, 1936

·         Call #: SS 1.4:8/2

Public Assistance under the Social Security Act for The Needy Aged, The Needy Blind, Dependent Children – Informational Service Circular No. 8, 1938

What a terrific original source these and other agency materials might make for your students’ History Day projects!