American Experience

Overview
Born: August 27, 1908; Stonewall, Texas... Lyndon Johnson was the first president to appoint an African American to the Supreme Court. On June 13, 1967, Johnson named Thurgood Marshall, the great-grandson of a slave, to sit on the highest court in the land...Visions of a Great Society swallowed up in the quagmire of Vietnam: Lyndon Johnson exploited his mastery of the legislative process to shepherd a collection of progressive programs, rivaling those of FDR's New Deal, through Congress with astounding success. An unpopular and costly war, however, eroded his political base and left him an exile within his own White House... Died: January 22, 1973.

Did you know? - Read some fun facts about Lyndon B. Johnson

The Era

• Passage of Civil Rights Act (1964)
• Warren Commission issues report on Kennedy assassination (1964)
• PLO formed (1964)
• Cesar Chavez organizes farm workers (1965)
• National Organization for Women is formed (1966)
• Indira Gandhi becomes prime minister of India (1966)
• Israel wins Six-Day War (1967)
• Shirley Chisholm becomes first black woman elected to Congress (1968)
• Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy assassinated (1968)

World Timeline - See a timeline of world events during Lyndon B. Johnson's administration.

Extended Biography
Access in-depth biographical materials for Lyndon B. Johnson.

• Early Career
• Domestic Politics
• Foreign Affairs
• Presidential Politics
• Legacy

Additional Resources
Explore bonus materials for Lyndon B. Johnson, including primary sources, audio interviews, television program transcripts, and in-depth teacher's guides.

• Vote on the Issues
• Primary Sources


• Teacher's Guide
• The Film & More