author
Abraham Epstein
1892–1942
An early champion of Social Security, this Russian-born American economist and reformer wrote with urgency about poverty, old age, and economic insecurity. His work helped shape public debate in the United States during the early 20th century.
2 Audiobooks
The Negro Migrant in Pittsburgh
by Abraham Epstein
About the author
Born in Russia in 1892, Abraham Epstein immigrated to the United States in 1910 and built a career as an economist, educator, and social reformer. He studied at the University of Pittsburgh and became known for his work on labor, social welfare, and the problems faced by older adults and working families.
Epstein is best remembered as a leading advocate for social insurance and old-age pensions. He founded the American Association for Old Age Security and wrote influential works including Insecurity: A Challenge to America, arguing that economic risk should not fall entirely on individuals. His public campaigning made him an important voice in the movement that pushed social welfare into the national conversation.
Although he died in 1942, his legacy is closely tied to the rise of modern social policy in the United States. For readers today, his writing offers a clear window into the fears, debates, and reform efforts that surrounded poverty, aging, and social protection in the decades before and after the Social Security Act.