President Roosevelt signs the Social Security Act, at approximately 3:30 pm EST on 14 August 1935. Standing with Roosevelt are Rep. Robert Doughton (D-NC); unknown person in shadow; Sen. Robert Wagner (D-NY); Rep. John Dingell (D-MI); Rep. Joshua Twing Brooks (D-PA); the Secretary of Labor, Frances Perkins; Sen. Pat Harrison (D-MS); and Rep. David Lewis (D-MD). Library of Congress via Wikimedia Commons.
Process invites proposals and submissions for an upcoming series on the elderly in U.S. history. While there is a vast array of histories relating to youth culture, children, and young adults in the United States, there are fewer comparable studies on the history of elderly culture and their impact on American society.
We are open to accepting articles on wide range of themes relating to the study of the elderly in U.S. history, which could include, but are not limited to: the elderly as a political voting bloc or as representatives in U.S. politics, the culture of retirement communities or Sunbelt cities, the purchasing power of elderly Americans or their broader economic impact in American industries, histories of health and medicine in relation to the elderly, or historical memory and interpretations advocated by elderly Americans. We are also interested in articles that explore historical research methodologies on this subject or that explore this subject’s intersections with various subfields of U.S. history, including histories of law, age, gender, disability studies, global studies, sports, and the environment.
We accept submissions from anyone engaged in the practice of U.S. history, including researchers, teachers, graduate students, archivists, curators, public historians, digital scholars, and others. Submissions should be written for a public readership, include a historical argument, and should not exceed 1500 words, not counting any footnotes. We will look to publish pieces throughout spring 2025, but are open to submissions past that point. Send proposals and drafts to blog@oah.org.
