Introduction - Lyndon B. Johnson
On November 22, 1963, U.S. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn into office as President on what was, perhaps, one of the most shocking days in U.S. history. Earlier that day, when President John F. Kennedy was traveling through Texas on a campaign tour, he was shot and pronounced dead shortly thereafter. The assassination stunned the world. Vice President Johnson was sworn into office as President while onboard Air Force One where he became the 36th President of the United States of America. There is no doubt that he, who was both loved and hated by some Americans, was responsible for some significant initiatives in U.S history. The following information lists interesting facts about President Johnson's life and career, including why he did not seek re-election, all in a kid-friendly format for easy reading.Click here for a great selection of Amazon.com books about Lyndon B Johnson.
Lyndon B. Johnson Quick Facts
- He was a member of the Democratic Party.
- Lyndon B. Johnson was born on August 27, 1908 in Stonewall, Texas.
- LBJ was the nickname given to Lyndon Baines Johnson.
- A town that President Johnson grew up near in Texas was named Johnson City, after his family.
- In November of 1934, Lyndon B. Johnson married Claudia Alta Taylor, more commonly known as Lady Bird Johnson. They had two children together.
- Lyndon B. Johnson served as President from 1963 - 1969.
- On January 22, 1973, Lyndon B. Johnson died after suffering from a sudden heart attack.
Lyndon B. Johnson Early Career Facts
- Before moving on to the Senate, Johnson served as a congressman for twelve years.
- During his time as a congressman, Johnson temporarily left to serve in World War II where he earned a silver star for showing gallantry and bravery as an observer on bomber missions in the South Pacific.
- Johnson was given the nickname "Landslide Lyndon" when he won a seat on the senate by a small amount of votes. Despite the sarcastic nickname, he remained in the Senate for another twelve years and eventually became the Senate Majority Leader.
Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Career Facts
- To attain his vision of a "Great Society", President Johnson introduced a comprehensive domestic legislative agenda including topics such as Medicare and Medicaid, education, transportation, urban renewal, poverty, crime control, and funding for research on diseases, among other topics.
- Although strongly opposed by southern Democrats, in July of 1964, Johnson was able to sign into effect civil rights legislation that would prohibit racial discrimination on many levels, called the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This was possibly one of his most important successes as President.
- Besides the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Johnson signed another important civil rights bill, the 1965 Voting Rights Act. This law not only allowed African Americans the right to vote but also gave them political opportunities that they had not seen before.
- During his time as President, Johnson was unsuccessful in trying to end communist aggression and fighting during the Vietnam War. It was not until after he left office that peace talks commenced. Unfortunately, he died before the talks were successful.
- On March 31, 1968, Lyndon B Johnson made the startling announcement that he would not run for Presidential re-election. He cited several reasons including more family time, however the country was left to speculate as to the real reasons. With mounting tension surrounding the Vietnam War, some historians believe he may have decided to bow out gracefully.