Articles-Issue 1

Abraham “Abe” Lincoln was born on February 12th, 1809. Abraham was the middle child of the family. Abraham grew up in poverty; he would do farm chores, hard work, and reading by the light of the fireplace until he was about 17. Lincoln was self-taught and soon afterwards became a lawyer in 1836. His political career consisted of him being the Whig Party leader from 1834 to 1840, being Illinois’s state legislator from 1834 to 1842, and being the U.S. Representative from March 4th, 1847 to March 3, 1849. Abraham became president of the United States on March 4th, 1861. While Abe and his wife Mary were at a theater to see a play, shots were heard. Abraham sadly passed away at the age of 56 on April 15th, 1865. Abraham was survived by his two sons and wife. 

Abraham was a very inspirational man even in death. Before he died, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation that declared slaves forever free within the Confederacy on January 1st, 1863. He successfully waged a political struggle and civil war that preserved the Union, ended slavery, and created the possibility of civil and social freedom for African-Americans. Abraham Lincoln built the Republican Party into a strong, national organization. He rallied most of the northern Democrats to the Union cause. The Emancipation Proclamation just amplified the start of the Civil Rights Movement and became a reason that people kept working towards equality and Lincoln always made sure that he allowed everyone to be treated as equals. Abraham Lincoln will always be remembered as a pioneer for positive change.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy “JFK” was born on May 29th, 1917 in Brookline, Massachusetts. After he graduated from Choate Preparatory, he entered Harvard University in 1936.  After John graduated from Harvard, he joined the Navy at age 24.  Five years later, he decided to run for the U.S. House of Representatives from a working class district of Boston. He was elected the President of the United States from January 20th, 1961 to November 22nd, 1963. As president, he fought to ensure equal rights and opportunities for all Americans, no matter the skin color. On November 21st, 1953, JFK flew into Texas to give political speeches. Sadly, on November 22nd, 1963, as JFK, his wife, and his entourage of people were driving down a very excited road in Texas among thousands of people, shots rang out. Less than 12 hours later, John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, had been pronounced dead at the Parkland Memorial Hospital at the age of 46. He was survived by his wife and their two small children. 

Even though JFK passed, he still inspired our nation and government. In the days after his assassination, his vice president Lyndon B. Johnson, took office. Lyndon had his goals set on fulfilling what John’s wishes were for the nation. John, at the time of his untimely death, was planning on signing into effect the Civil Rights Act of 1963. The Civil Rights Act of 1963 would provide protection for every American’s right to vote under the US government, end segregation in public facilities, and require public schools to be integrated. This in turn, upset many people, which really defined racism as not just a government issue, but as a moral issue. Additionally, he challenged the nation to reach for the impossible and land a man on the moon before the end of a decade. John influenced generations to accept responsibility for their government and their world, by taking political and economic/social action. He encouraged his fellow Americans to lift up those less fortunate than themselves. John F. Kennedy was a very significant man to our history and he changed the lives of many Americans.  

Lyndon Baines Johnson, “LBJ,” was born on August 27th, 1908. He was the first child of Sam Ealy Johnson Jr. and Rebekah Baines Johnson. As a child, Johnson was an indifferent student, but eagerly pursued extracurricular activities such as journalism, student government, and debate. While Lyndon was teaching, he learned compassion for the poverty of others when he taught students of Mexican descent. LBJ became the 37th vice president from 1961 to 1963. Soon after Kennedy had passed, Johnson became the 36th president of the United States and immediately carried out the Civil Rights agenda. He signed into effect the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which protected voting rights, guaranteed access to public accommodations, and allowed the withholding of federal income from programs that had discriminatory practices. He was the president from November 22nd, 1963 to January 20th, 1969. He served one full term. When Lyndon left office, peace talks were underway. He did not live to see them successfully completed due to his sudden passing of a heart attack at his Texas ranch on January 22nd, 1973. Lyndon was survived by his wife and their two daughters.

LBJ’s civil rights legacy is the reason that we do not have to protest for our rights and are free to use the same public facilities as everyone else. He worked to make sure that all people were treated equally in America and that people who discriminated against others were punished. He passed acts that protected voting and civil rights. Johnson even passed an act that established the OEO (The Office of Economic Opportunity) which currently oversees a number of educational, training, and employment programs. Johnson made sure to incorporate more safeguards for civil and voting rights, funding for education, programs for urban renewal, medicare, crime prevention, and consumer protection. The biggest act he passed that got him a lot of recognition was the Civil Rights Act.  LBJ was a very inspirational man and he is forever to be considered the man who gave people civil freedom.