Lyndon B. Johnson's Presidency and the Great Society

Early Life and Path to the Presidency

On November 22, 1963, when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as the 36th President of the United States. He had a vision to build "A Great Society" for the American people. Born on August 27, 1908, in central Texas, not far from Johnson City, which his family had helped settle, Johnson felt the pinch of rural poverty growing up. He worked his way through Southwest Texas State Teachers College, gaining firsthand experience of the challenges faced by many Americans.

Legislative Achievements: Civil Rights and Tax Cuts

Upon assuming the presidency, Johnson prioritized enacting the measures President Kennedy had been urging at the time of his death: a new civil rights bill and a tax cut. A significant milestone was reached on July 2, 1964, when he signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the first effective civil rights law since Reconstruction.

The civil rights movement had gained momentum following the landmark 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education, which ruled racial segregation in schools unconstitutional. This, coupled with Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech, propelled President John F. Kennedy to make the passage of a Civil Rights bill a central part of his platform during the election.

The Great Society Initiative

President Johnson urged the nation "to build a Great Society, a place where the meaning of man's life matches the marvels of man's labor." In the 1964 election, Johnson secured a landslide victory, winning the presidency with 61 percent of the vote and the widest popular margin in American history—more than 15,000,000 votes.

Challenges and the Vietnam War

Despite the launch of new anti-poverty and anti-discrimination programs, unrest and rioting in Black ghettos troubled the nation. President Johnson steadily exerted his influence against segregation and on behalf of law and order, but there was no easy or immediate solution.

By the end of March 1968, controversy over the Vietnam War had become acute. In an effort to initiate negotiations, Johnson limited the bombing of North Vietnam. Simultaneously, he surprised the world by withdrawing as a candidate for re-election, stating his intention to devote his full efforts, unimpeded by politics, to the quest for peace.

Legacy

Lyndon B. Johnson died suddenly of a heart attack at his Texas ranch on January 22, 1973. His presidency was marked by significant legislative achievements, particularly in civil rights, and a bold vision for a more equitable society, though it was also challenged by social unrest and the escalating Vietnam War.