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Facts and Events
- the text in this section is copied from an article in
Wikipedia
Lyndon Baines Johnson
(; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials
LBJ
, was an American politician who served as the 36th
president of the United States
from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th
vice president
from 1961 to 1963 under President
John F. Kennedy
, and was sworn in shortly after
Kennedy's assassination
. A
Democrat
from
Texas
, Johnson also served as a
U.S. representative
,
U.S. senator
and the Senate's
majority leader
. He holds the distinction of being one of the few presidents who served in all elected offices at the federal level.
Born in a farmhouse in
Stonewall, Texas
, to a local political family, Johnson worked as a high school teacher and a congressional aide before winning election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1937. He won
election to the United States Senate in 1948
after narrowly winning the Democratic Party's nomination. He was appointed to the position of
Senate Majority Whip
in 1951. He became the Senate Democratic leader in 1953 and majority leader in 1954. In 1960 Johnson ran for the Democratic nomination for president. Ultimately, Senator Kennedy bested Johnson and his other rivals for the nomination, then surprised many by offering to make Johnson his vice presidential running mate. The Kennedy-Johnson ticket won in the
1960 presidential election
. Vice President Johnson assumed the presidency on November 22, 1963, after President Kennedy was assassinated. The following year Johnson was elected to the presidency when he won in a landslide against Arizona Senator
Barry Goldwater
, receiving a record 61.1% of the popular vote in the
1964 presidential election
. This makes his victory the
largest share
of the popular vote of any candidate in any contested election. (
James Monroe
did secure an even greater popular vote in the
1820
election, but he had no opponent.)
Johnson's domestic policy was aimed at expanding
civil rights
,
public broadcasting
,
Medicare
,
Medicaid
, aid to education and the arts, urban and rural development, and public services. In 1964 Johnson coined the term the "
Great Society
" to describe these efforts. In addition, he sought to create better living conditions for low income Americans by spearheading a campaign unofficially called the "
War on Poverty
"; assisted by a
strong economy
, this helped millions of Americans rise above the poverty line during his administration. Johnson followed his predecessor's actions in bolstering
NASA
and made the
Apollo Program
a national priority. He enacted the
Higher Education Act of 1965
which established federally insured student loans. Johnson signed the
Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965
which laid the groundwork for U.S. immigration policy today. Johnson's opinion on the issue of civil rights put him at odds with other white, southern Democrats. His civil rights legacy was shaped by signing the
Civil Rights Act of 1964
, the
Voting Rights Act of 1965
, and the
Civil Rights Act of 1968
. During his presidency, the American political landscape transformed significantly, as white southerners who were once staunch Democrats began moving to the
Republican Party
and
black voters
began moving to the Democratic Party. Because of his domestic agenda, Johnson's presidency marked the peak of
modern liberalism in the United States
.
Johnson's presidency took place during the
Cold War
and thus he prioritized
halting the expansion
of
communism
. Prior to 1964, the U.S. was already heavily involved in the
Vietnam War
by providing weapons, training, and aid to
South Vietnam
in their fight against the communist
North
. Following a
naval skirmish
with
North Vietnam
, Congress passed the
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
, which granted Johnson the power to launch a full scale military intervention. The number of American military personnel in Vietnam increased dramatically. As the war progressed,
casualties soared
among U.S. soldiers and Vietnamese civilians. In 1968, the
Tet Offensive
inflamed the anti-war movement, including among
draft
-age students on university campuses, and public opinion dramatically turned against America's involvement in the war.
At home, Johnson faced further troubles with
race riots
in major cities, and increasing crime rates. His political opponents seized the opportunity and raised demands for
"law and order"
policies. Johnson began his presidency with near universal support, however his approval declined throughout his presidency as the public became frustrated with both the Vietnam War and domestic unrest. Johnson initially sought to run for re-election, however following
disappointing results in the New Hampshire primary
he withdrew his candidacy. The war was a major election issue and the
1968 presidential election
saw Republican candidate
Richard Nixon
defeat Johnson's vice president
Hubert Humphrey
. At the end of his presidency in 1969, Johnson returned to his Texas ranch and kept a low profile until he died of a
heart attack
in 1973.
Johnson is one of the most controversial presidents in American history; public opinion of his legacy has continuously evolved since his death. Historians and scholars
rank Johnson in the upper tier
because of his domestic policies; his administration passed many major laws that made serious advancements in
civil rights
,
health care
, and
welfare
, although he is criticized for escalating American involvement in the Vietnam War.
References
- ↑
1.0
1.1
Texas Department of State Health Services.
Texas Death Index, 1903-2000
.
Name: Lyndon Johnson Death Date: 22 Jan 1973 Death Place: Bexar, Texas
- ↑
2.0
2.1
2.2
Social Security Administration.
Social Security Death Index
:
Death Master File, database
. (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service)
Number: 577-60-6128; Issue State: District of Columbia; Issue Date: 1961-1962.
Name: Lyndon Johnson Birth Date: 27 Aug 1908 Death Date: Jan 1973 Last Residence: Austin, Travis, Texas, United States of America
- ↑
Lyndon B. Johnson
, in
Wikipedia
:
The Free Encyclopedia
.
"Lyndon Baines Johnson was born in Stonewall, Texas, on August 27, 1908, in a small farmhouse on the Pedernales River. ...Lyndon Baines Johnson died at his ranch at 3:39 p.m CST (4:39 pm EST) on January 22, 1973 at age 64 after suffering a massive heart attack." The
article on his ranch
explains that the ranch is 14 miles west of Johnson City, Blanco County, Texas, in Gillespie County, near Stonewall, Texas.
- ↑
Lyndon Johnson, 36th President, Is Dead; Was Architect of 'Great Society' Program, in
The New York Times
. (New York, New York)
p. 1
[1]
, 23 Jan 1973.
"SAN ANTONIO, Tex., Jan. 22--Lyndon Baines Johnson, 36th President of the United States, died today of an apparent heart attack suffered at his ranch in Johnson City, Tex. ... The 64-year-old Mr. Johnson, whose history of heart illness began in 1955, was pronounced dead on arrival at 4:33 P.M. central time at San Antonio International Airport, where he had been flown in a family plane on the way to Brooke Army Medical Center here."
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