Abe Epstein
Russian-born American lecturer and activist (1892–1942)
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Abraham Epstein (April 20, 1892 – May 2, 1942) was a Russian-born American lecturer and activist. He championed social security and was a major figure in its enactment into law in the United States.
Biography
Epstein was born on April 20, 1892, in Lyuban, Russian Empire, to Jews[1] Leon and Bessie Levovitz Epstein.[2][3] He read a lot as a child, including banned socialist authors Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, which he had access to due to his library being in a rural town.[1] He abandoned home and travelled to Liepāja,[1] and in 1910, he immigrated to the United States; a newspaper later described him at this time as "poor as a mouse in a synagogue".[4] He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1917 and continued his studies at Columbia University until 1931.[2][3]
In 1918, Epstein joined the Pennsylvania Commission on Old Age Pensions (PCOAP) for six years, and later the Fraternal Order of Eagles.[3] With the PCOAP, he introduced the first social security bill in the United States to the Pennsylvania General Assembly in 1921.[2] He wrote the books Facing Old Age and Insecurity – a Challenge to America, which advocated for social security.[2] Time called him "the strongest single influence in the U.S. on the trend of public opinion toward the adoption of social security legislation".[5]
Epstein argued for social security nonpartisanly and believed that the facts and statistics would change opinions.[4] On July 22, 1927, he established the American Association for Social Security, a social security advocacy group[6] which in 1933, renamed itself to the American Association for Social Security.[7] The group was a figure in the enactment of the Social Security Act in 1935. Though, Epstein disagreed with the law's restrictions and continued to advocate for more social safety nets.[2][4]
Epstein was also a lecturer at Brooklyn College and New York University.[3]
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, his son, Pierre, described Epstein as a "little man with a high-pitched voice, heavy accent and thick spectacles".[7] He was married to Henriette Epstein. He died on May 2, 1942, aged 50, in New York City.[2] Since 1985, his papers have been held by the University of Michigan.[3] In his legacy, he has been noted as a forgotten figure.[6][8]