President Lyndon B. Johnson‘s legacy has been a topic in political circles of late, with the 50th anniversaries of the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the War On Poverty occurring this year. During LBJ’s time in office, major policies that changed the fortunes of working class Black people nationwide were pushed through.
The aforementioned Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 would be considered by most historians to be the most significant measures passed as it relates to Black Americans, but other progressive legislation happened under LBJ’s rule as well. Programs such as Headstart, education reform, Medicare, Medicaid, immigration reform, and much more were all part of LBJ’s “Great Society” plans.
LBJ split with conservatives and Republicans during this period, many of whom shunned his embrace of the role of “big government” in society.
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The Civil Rights Act effectively ended the ugly specter of segregation across the nation, as it outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It was passed on July 4, 1964, but didn’t have as big an impact as initially hoped. Many in the Deep South continued to embrace segregated schools and establishments, and tensions between Whites and Blacks were still high.
Enforcement of the law was especially weak, but as time went on supplements were added to strengthen it. The Voting Rights Act has been considered by the Department of Justice as the most important civil rights legislation to be passed in the country.
It was passed on August 6, 1965, during one of the most turbulent periods of the American civil rights movement. Notable figures like Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and countless others made the fair enforcement of protections provided under the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments of the Constitution their priority, and the passing of the bill was seen as a victory.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson recently wrote a thoughtful tribute to the legacy of LBJ, and noted how Republicans forces have taken square aim at some of the policies he championed.
Today, the progressive actions taken by LBJ are under attack by Republican forces who seemingly wish to upend the advances of the Johnson era. President Barack Obama, who referenced LBJ’s historic War On Poverty speech at the top of the year, has been dogged by a split Congress unable to compromise for the good of Americans overall.
LBJ’s presidency was marred by the disastrous results of The Vietnam War, which perhaps puts a chink in his storied legacy. However, much of what he was able to achieve at a time where Black and White Americans were deeply divided across color and earning lines is commendable.
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