Photograph of the Swearing in of Lyndon B. Johnson as President

Lyndon Baines Johnson (August 27, 1908 – January 22, 1973) served as the 36th President of the United States from 1963 to 1969. A Democrat from Texas, he served as a United States Representative from 1937 to 1949 and as a United States Senator from 1949 to 1961 serving as Senate Majority Leader, Senate Minority Leader and as Senate Majority Whip. He was assuming the office after serving as the 37th Vice President of the United States after an assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Later, he won the 1964 election over Republican opponent Barry Goldwater. Johnson designed the "Great Society" legislation upholding civil rights, public broadcasting, Medicare, Medicaid, aid to education, the arts, urban and rural development, public services, and his "War on Poverty", banned racial discrimination in public facilities, interstate commerce, the workplace, housing. The Voting Rights Act banned certain requirements in southern states used to disenfranchise African Americans. With the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, the country's immigration system was reformed and all racial origin quotas were removed (replaced by national origin quotas). Johnson escalated American involvement in the Vietnam War. The number of American military personnel in Vietnam increased dramatically, from 16,000 advisors in 1963 to 550,000 in 1968. American casualties soared and the peace process bogged down causing large, angry antiwar protests based especially on university campuses in the U.S. and abroad. While he began his presidency with widespread approval, support for Johnson declined as the public became upset with both the war and the growing violence at home. Republican Richard Nixon was elected to succeed him. After he left office in January 1969, Johnson returned to his Texas ranch where he died of a heart attack at age 64 on January 22, 1973.

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