EXPLORE THE ARCHIVES:
GREAT SOCIETY
Embedded Files
Lyndon Johnson’s plan for a “Great Society” took shape shortly after he took office, and the LBJ Library archives contain thousands of records that document the vision, accomplishments, and shortfalls of his ambitious agenda.
Letter from Gregory Peck (October 27, 1965)
Actor Gregory Peck wrote to President Johnson after meeting him at a dinner earlier that month. The letter reveals Peck’s admiration for Johnson’s creation of the National Foundation of the Arts and the Humanities.Did you know? When he signed the Arts and Humanities Bill in 1965, President Johnson called art “our nation’s most precious heritage.” A year earlier, Johnson created the National Council on the Arts. He recognized the importance of allowing those with artistic vision to realize their hopes and dreams.
Gregory Peck and President Johnson at the LBJ Ranch, May 31, 1968
LBJ Library photo by Mike Geissinger [D367-30]
LBJ Library photo by Mike Geissinger [D367-30]
Phone Call with Adam Clayton Powell (March 1, 1965)
President Johnson chastises Adam Clayton Powell, Chairman of the House of Education and Labor Committee, for delaying legislative action on the Elementary and Secondary Education Bill.Did you know? One month later, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 was signed. This was the first time that Johnson’s “Great Society” committed the federal government to helping local school districts
Adam Clayton Powell and President Johnson on June 18, 1965
LBJ Library photo by Yoichi Okamoto [A695-31]
LBJ Library photo by Yoichi Okamoto [A695-31]
Political Cartoon (August 24, 1965)
This political cartoon from the “Dallas Morning News” shines light on Johnson’s “Great Society” program and the positive changes that it brought to the American people.Did you know? By 1966, Johnson was pleased with the progress he had made with his “Great Society” agenda. However, in the eyes of many Americans, the challenges of the Vietnam War began to overshadow his domestic achievements.
Letter from Dr. Richard Albert (August 27, 1964)
In this note to the president left on a prescription pad, Dr. Richard Albert warns that Medicare would be worse under Social Security—not better.Did you know? In 1965, the Social Security Act was passed. With it, President Johnson established Medicare and Medicaid,health insurance programs for the elderly and the poor, respectively. Johnson presented the first Medicare card to former President Harry Truman, an early proponent of a national health insurance plan.
Photo of Lady Bird in Big Bend (April 2, 1966)
Hiking Texas’ Lost Mine Trail was one of many outdoor activities Lady Bird participated in while visiting Big Bend National Park. She toured the park to promote the “See America First” campaign and to bring attention to the park’s fifteenth anniversary.Did you know? During this trip to Big Bend National Park, Lady Bird took a six-hour, eleven-mile float trip on the Rio Grande River through Mariscal Canyon. She called it “that fabulous corner of the world.”
Sec. Stewart Udall, Lady Bird Johnson, and others tour Big Bend National Park, April 2, 1966
LBJ Library photo by Robert Knudsen [C1616-9a]
LBJ Library photo by Robert Knudsen [C1616-9a]
State of the Union Address (January 8, 1964)
In his first State of the Union address, President Johnson declares the beginning of the “War on Poverty,” which would be a key priority throughout his administration.
Did you know? On August 20, 1964, President Johnson signed the Poverty Bill, which created the Office of Economic Opportunity. This office began working on a “direct attack” on the multiple causes of poverty in all regions of America.
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