Lyndon B. Johnson

36th President Lyndon B. Johnson, 1963-196936th President Lyndon B. Johnson, 1963-196936th President Lyndon B. Johnson, 1963-196936th President Lyndon B. Johnson, 1963-196936th President Lyndon B. Johnson, 1963-196936th President Lyndon B. Johnson, 1963-196936th President Lyndon B. Johnson, 1963-1969

36th President Lyndon B. Johnson, 1963-1969

36th President of the United States
(November 22, 1963 to January 20, 1969)

Full Name: Lyndon Baines Johnson
Nickname: "LBJ"

Born: August 27, 1908, near Johnson City, Texas
Died: January 22, 1973, near Johnson City, Texas

Father: Sam Ealy Johnson, Jr. (1877-1937)
Mother: Rebekah Baines Johnson (1881-1958)
Married: Claudia "Lady Bird" Alta Taylor (1912-2007), on November 17, 1934
Children: Lynda Bird Johnson (1944- ); Luci Baines Johnson (1947- )

Religion: Disciples of Christ
Education: Graduated from Southwest Texas State Teachers College (1930) (now known as Texas State University-San Marcos)
Occupation: Teacher, public official
Political Party: Democrat
Other Government Positions:

  • Congressional Secretary, 1931-37
  • Member of U.S. House of Representatives, 1937-49
  • United States Senator, 1949-61
  • Vice President, 1961-63 (under Kennedy)

Presidential Salary: $100,000/year + $50,000 expense account

Presidential Election Results:

YearCandidatePopular VotesElectoral Votes
1964Lyndon B. Johnson43,129,566486
(map)Barry M. Goldwater27,178,18852

Vice President: Hubert H. Humphrey (1965-69)

Cabinet:

Secretary of State
Dean Rusk (1963-69)
Secretary of the Treasury
C. Douglas Dillon (1963-65)
Henry H. Fowler (1965-68)
Joseph W. Barr (1968-69)
Secretary of Defense
Robert S. McNamara (1963-68)
Clark M. Clifford (1968-69)
Attorney General
Robert F. Kennedy (1963-65)
Nicholas Katzenbach (1965-67)
Ramsey Clark (1967-69)
Postmaster General
John A. Gronouski (1963-65)
Lawrence F. O'Brien (1965-68)
W. Marvin Watson (1968-69)
Secretary of the Interior
Stewart L. Udall (1963-69)
Secretary of Agriculture
Orville L. Freeman (1963-69)
Secretary of Commerce
Luther H. Hodges (1963-65)
John T. Connor (1965-67)
Alexander B. Trowbridge (1967-68)
Cyrus R. Smith (1968-69)
Secretary of Labor
W. Willard Wirtz (1963-69)
Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare
Anthony J. Celebrezze (1963-65)
John W. Gardner (1965-68)
Wilbur J. Cohen (1968-69)
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Robert C. Weaver (1966-69)
Robert C. Wood (1969)
Secretary of Transportation
Alan S. Boyd (1967-69)

Supreme Court Justices:
Abe Fortas (1965-1969)
Thurgood Marshall (1967-1991)

Notable Events:
Internet Biographies:
Lyndon B. Johnson -- from The Presidents of the United States of America
Compiled by the White House.
Lyndon B. Johnson -- from The American President
From the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia, in addition to information on the Presidents themselves, they have first lady and cabinet member biographies, listings of presidential staff and advisers, and timelines detailing significant events in the lives of each administration.
Lyndon B. Johnson -- from Encyclopaedia Britannica
Facts about Johnson and his presidency.
Lyndon B. Johnson -- from Character Above All
From a PBS broadcast of the same name, this essay excerpt by Robert Dallek discusses some of the issues and events that molded Johnson.
Videos:
Other Internet Resources:
The Best Biographies of Lyndon B. Johnson
In 2012, Stephen Floyd started his search for the best biography of each president. He usually has reviews of multiple biographies for each president.
The Great Society at 50
This article by Karen Tumulty of the Washington Post evaluates the success of the Great Society 50 years later.
Health and Medical History of Lyndon Johnson
Medical background of each president with references. Compiled by John Sotos, MD.
Lyndon B. Johnson Library and Museum
The Austin, Texas site for the Johnson archives, museum exhibits, and events. Tour information also available.
Lyndon B. Johnson National Historic Site
Located west of Johnson City, Texas, this park hosts the LBJ Ranch (also called the Texas White House), the Johnson Settlement and his boyhood home.
Lyndon B. Johnson State Historical Park
Located in "the heart of Johnson country", this park provides camping, fishing, history and more. Visitor information and directions are available.
Points of Interest:
Additional Facts:
  • Johnson was the first president sworn in by a woman - Judge Sarah Hughes.
  • Johnson was the first president to be awarded the Silver Star.
  • Johnson was the first president to have been the Senate Majority Leader.
  • Johnson voted against every civil right bill between 1937 and 1956. He strongly switched course in 1957 by pushing through the first civil right bill passed since 1875.
  • Johnson was the first president to appoint a Black Supreme Court justice - Thurgood Marshall.
  • Johnson was the first president to appoint a Black cabinet member - Robert C. Weaver led the new Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Quotes:

“Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.”

“If we succeed, it will not be because of what we have, but it will be because of what we are; not because of what we own, but, rather because of what we believe.”

“A president’s hardest task is not to do what is right, but to know what is right.”

“You ain’t learnin’ nothin’ when you’re talkin’.”

“If government is to serve any purpose it is to do for others what they are unable to do for themselves.”

“We must open the doors of opportunity. But we must also equip our people to walk through those doors.”

“The guns and the bombs, the rockets and the warships, are all symbols of human failure.”

“Doing what’s right isn’t the problem. It is knowing what’s right.”

“Being president is like being a jackass in a hailstorm. There’s nothing to do but to stand there and take it.”

“One lesson you better learn if you want to be in politics is that you never go out on a golf course and beat the President.”

“I will do my best. That is all I can do. I ask for your help – and God’s.”

“If the American people don’t love me, their descendants will.”

Previous President: John F. Kennedy
Next President: Richard M. Nixon