The first pilot project to issue SSNs with the birth certificate automatically was in 1987. You can read the history here: https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/ssb/

The first pilot project to issue SSNs with the birth certificate automatically was in 1987. You can read the history here: https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/ssb/v56n1/v56n1p83.pdf https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/ssb/v56n1/v56n1p83.pdf Prior to that, getting the SSN required giving your birth certificate to the government. If the family wasn't getting government benefits, many didn't bother.