OASIS History Articles

 

SSA's in-house magazine, OASIS, has been published since January 1955. Before OASIS, there was an in-house newsletter called the OASIS News, which was the forerunner of the full-fledged magazine. The OASIS News published its first issue on March 25, 1941.

Over the years these two publications have featured numerous historical articles and items. We are reproducing here a collection of those articles. We have deleted from the issues the non-historical material. Thus, the links below provide partial contents of each of the issues.

 

 

OASIS News

Ten Years Ago (January 1950-July 1950)

Fifteen Years With OASI (August 1950)

The Bureau--A Profile: A Survey of the Bureau's Administrative, Program and Personal History During 15 Years--As Remembered by Those Who Lived Through Them

 

OASIS

Note: These files are in Adobe PDF format. You will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view them.

August 1955 Anniversary Issue
Our First Claimant
Looking Back Twenty Years
The Field-Then and Now
The DAO Wage Record
A Fabulous History
  August 1960 Anniversary Issue
Security for a People
Touching All Bases
Social Security: Past, Present, Future
Building Dedication
The Bureau 1935-1960
     
September 1960 Issue
A Quarter Century of Public Information
Behind the Scenes
  May 1962 Issue
Purse Numbers Pose Problem
     
September 1963 Issue
The Bureau of Hearings & Appeals
  May 1964 Issue
John Corson Recalls Early Agency Days
     
August 1964 Issue
History Quiz
  January 1965 Issue
The Committee on Economic Security: Reflections 30 Years Later
25 Years of Monthly Benefits
     
August 1965 Issue
Recording History
The Men at the Helm
Social Security Act: 30 Years of Building
The Field: 1935-65
The Presidents Speak
  August 1971 Issue
Security For A People



August 1974 Issue
Were They The Good Old Days?
     
October 1976 Issue
Down By The Waterfront
  January 1977 Issue
The Way We Were: A Look Back at Beauty Contests, Streetcars, and the PBX Board
     
June 1977 Issue
Getting FDR's Help in Finding A Home
  September 1977 Issue
It's Now A Part Of History
     
October 1977 Issue
Oh, Lordy We're Gonna Be Rich, Pa
  March 1978 Issue
The Way We Were: Filing Little Wooden Stick
     
August 1978 Issue
Social Security: 5 Yeas, 4 Nays
The Way We Were: Souvenoirs From the Storehouse of the Mind
  October 1978 Issue
The Way We Were: On the Night Shift with Bats, Bugs and Winos
     
May 1979 Issue
Frances Perkins: Life on Her Own Terms
  August 1979 Issue
History Quiz
     
September 1979 Issue
Were the Feds First in the Social Insurance Field? No
  .October 1979 Issue
The Crash
     
November 1979 Issue
A Quarter Century of Aiding the Disabled
  December 1979 Issue
Mutal Aid Societies Served Black Communities
     
April 1980 Issue
He's the Last of the First to Get Benefits
  July 1980 Issue
On Last Look on Leaving
     
December 1981 Issue
On the Homefront: SSA, Like Everyone Else, Contributed to the War Effort in World War II
  August 1983 Issue
History Quiz
     
January 1984 Issue
The Birth and Early Years of SSI
Then and Now
  June 1985 Issue
Where Our Roots Were Planted
     
July/August 1985 Issue
President Praises Social Security Accomplishments
Secretary Cites Management of Program
Acting Commissioner Highlights Our "Efficient Service"
Preview of Anniversary Activities
Historical Highlights of Social Security
SSA Pioneers Recall the Early Days
Statistical Report on Claims--1940-85
Our Anniversary is One of Many
Five Celebrate 50 Years' Service
Who's Who and Why Were They There
How the Press Reported the 1935 Signing
Employees Share Birthdays with Social Security
A Look at the SSA History Room
  February 1986 Issue
History Room Get Art for Original Social Security Card

December 1986 Issue
The Card's Golden Anniversary
Altmeyer Building Has Box You Can't Open

April/May 1987 Issue
Judgment Day for Social Security

July 1987 Issue
When Social Security Ran a Rooming House
     
September 1988 Issue
Roots
  January 1989 Issue
Roots: Disability Insurance
     
June 1992 Issue
PSCs Celebrate 50 Years of Service
Major Exhibition Includes Our Punch Card Operations
  August 1992 Issue
How We Got Our Name
     
January 1994 Issue
SSI Marks 20 Years
Getting SSI Up and Running
  August 1994 Issue
History Quiz
     
September 1994 Issue
Independence
  July 1995 Issue
A Look Back: Medicare Program Celebrates 30th Anniversary
     
August 1995 Issue
Celebrating 60 Years of Social Security
Learning From the Past: Take a Tour of the History Room
Reminiscences
  Fall 1995 Issue
A Look Back: Medicare Program Celebrates 30th Anniversary
     
June/July 1996 Issue
Memorial: Oklahoma City Bombing Remembered One Year Later
  Fall 1997 Issue
Oldies But Goodies: Contest Sparks Interest in Original Cards
     
Summer 1998 Issue
63 Years: Cornerstone Holds a Part of Social Security History
10 Years: 800 Numbers Celebrates Anniversary of Providing Customer Service
25 Years: Social Security Alumni Associations Celebrates Silvery Anniversary
  Winter 2000 Issue
History Quiz

Summer 2000 Issue
Meet the Chairman of the Board
     
Special 65th Anniversary Issue
Introduction/The Commissioner's Column (10.1 mg file)
SSA Board Members and Commissioners (8.4 mg file)
Key Dates (12.2 mg file)
65 Years of American Life (9.6 mg file)
The Development of Social Security (14.2 mg file)