10 Interesting Facts about Lyndon B. Johnson

These following facts about Lyndon B. Johnson will probably make you feel admired about him. If you want to know what kind of person he was during his life, or what activity he did, or anything else, then this article would be really interesting for you to read. As you know, Lyndon B. Johnson was the 36th President of the United States, a position that he assumed after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States. He is one of only four people who served in all four elected federal offices of the United States: Representative, Senator, Vice President, and President. To get to know more about him, here are the other facts about Lyndon B. Johnson you may consider interesting.

Facts about Lyndon B. Johnson 1: Early Career

Johnson briefly taught public speaking and debate in a Houston high school, then entered politics. Johnson’s father had served six terms in the Texas legislature and was a close friend of one of Texas’s rising political figures, Congressman Sam Rayburn.

Facts about Lyndon B. Johnson 2: Congressional Career

In 1937, Johnson successfully contested a special election for Texas’s 10th congressional district, that covered Austin and the surrounding hill country. He ran on a New Deal platform and was effectively aided by his wife. He served in the House from April 10, 1937, to January 3, 1949.

Facts about Lyndon B. Johnson 3: War Record

After America entered World War II in December 1941, Johnson, still in Congress, became a commissioned officer in the Naval Reserve, then asked Undersecretary of the Navy James Forrestal for a combat assignment.

Facts about Lyndon B. Johnson 4: 1948 Contested Election

In the 1948 elections, Johnson again ran for the Senate and won. This election was highly controversial: in a three-way Democratic Party primary Johnson faced a well-known former governor, Coke Stevenson, and a third candidate.

Facts about Lyndon B. Johnson 5: Assassination of John F. Kennedy

Johnson was sworn in as President on Air Force One at Dallas Love Field in Dallas on November 22, 1963, two hours and eight minutes after Presidnt Kennedy was assassinated in Dealey Plaza in Dallas. He was sworn in by Federal Judge Sarah T. Hughes, a family friend, making him the first President sworn in by a woman.

Facts about Lyndon B. Johnson 6: Civil Rights

In conjunction with the Civil Rights Movement, Johnson overcame southern resistance and convinced the Democratic-Controlled Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed most forms of racial segregation.

Facts about Lyndon B. Johnson 7: Great Society

The Great Society program, with its name coined from one of Johnson’s speeches, became Johnson’s agenda for Congress in January 1965: aid to education, attack on disease, Medicare, Medicaid, urban renewal, beautification, conservation, development of depressed regions, a wide-scale fight against poverty, control and prevention of crime, and removal of obstacles to the right to vote.

Facts about Lyndon B. Johnson 8: Healthcare Reform

In 1964, upon Johnson’s request, Congress passed the Revenue Act of 1964 and the Economic Opportunity Act, which was in association with the war on poverty. Johnson set in motion bills and acts, creating programs such as Head Start, food stamps, Work Study, Medicare and Medicaid.

Facts about Lyndon B. Johnson 9: Gun Control

On October 22, 1968, Lyndon Johnson signed the Gun Control Act of 1968, one of the largest and farthest-reaching federal gun control laws in American history.

Facts about Lyndon B. Johnson 10: Other Courts

In addition to his Supreme Court appointments, Johnson appointed 40 judges to the United States Courts of Appeals and 126 judges to the United States district courts. Johnson also had a small number of judicial appointment controversies, with one appellate and three district court nominees not being confirmed by the United States Senate before Johnson’s presidency ended.

Those following facts about Lyndon B. Johnson might make you feel more amazed about the his life. His life is really interesting. And also, since he took great responsibility to the whole America, he was really kind to people, yet really caring to each other. Hope you found Lyndon B. Johnson facts really interesting and useful.