MID-SOUTH MEMORIES
25 years ago — 1995
About 40 people were expected to participate this weekend in a secret retreat for local Black elected officials and ministers. The gathering at the St. Columbia Episcopal Center north of Bartlett was organized by a group led by Rev. Alvin O’neal Jackson of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church. The first session was Friday night. Jackson said the retreat, which he said will end today, is designed to build relationships between local Black elected officials and Black clergy ”so that we can better function and work together to take advantage of this window of opportunity that we have in this city to move Memphis forward.” He said no public business would be discussed. ”No. No public business. Just building relationships, that’s going to be the key to it,” Jackson said. He said all Black City Council, County Commission and city school board members were invited along with local Black state legislators and Mayor W. W. Herenton and U.S. Rep. Harold Ford.
50 years ago — 1970
Even as Congress debates new Social Security increases, the take-home pay of most American workers will drop next week as the pay roll tax rate goes up four-tenths of a per cent for employees and a like amount for employers. And for those who earned more than $7,800 this year, the Social Security deduction, which stopped after $374 was taken out, will be resumed. Employers and their employees will each pay Social Security at the rate of 5.2 per cent in 1971, compared to 4.8 per cent in 1970.
75 years ago — 1945 WASHINGTON – Fifty million Federal taxpayers can greet the new year with rejoicing. Their tax burdens will be lightened for the first time in 16 years. The slash will be almost $6,000,000,000 for 1946. Some 12,000,000 low-income persons go off the tax rolls completely. Others making up to $50,000 a year will get tax cuts of 10 percent or more — with smaller reductions for those making over $50,000. The 1946 relief for individuals will total $2,644,000,000. The war-imposed 85.5 percent excise profits tax on corporations will be repealed. Withholding from pay envelopes and salary checks will be reduced to reflect the cut in taxes.
100 years ago — 1920
The Memphis farm bureau yesterday afternoon took the first steps in the campaign about to be waged for adequate food and feed crops in the South. The farm bureau represents the constructive side of the campaign to reduce cotton acreage. Plans have already been worked out by Dr. E.R. Lloyd and his coworkers of the farm bureau to carry between Jan. 10 and Feb. 15 the gospel of safe and sane farming into 100 counties contiguous to Memphis.