A LEGACY OF LIBERTY
These pens were used by President Johnson to sign over 200 pieces of legislation into law. President Johnson had a vision for a “Great Society” that would improve the lives of Americans through expanding civil rights, healthcare, immigration, education, protecting the environment, and fighting poverty.
President Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act into law on July 2, 1964, making segregation in public places illegal.
TAKE A Look at the photograph of President Johnson signing the Civil Rights Act.
Do you recognize anyone? Why do you think President Johnson has so many pens on his desk?
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Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is standing behind President Johnson as he signs the Civil Rights Act, which ends segregation in public places. Dr. King was a leader of the Civil Rights Movement that sought to end racial segregation and discrimination in the United States, so being on the front row to see this law signed would have been very important to him and to President Johnson.
President Johnson used many pens to sign a bill into law. He would then gift these pens to the people who helped support the legislation.
Click here to see a photo of President Johnson giving a signing pen to Dr. King.