Lyndon B. Johnson was the 36th President of the United States.

Served as President: 1963-1969
Vice President: Hubert Humphrey

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Kennedy Assassinated 
In 1963 while on a parade in Dallas, Texas, President Kennedy was assassinated. He was shot while riding in a car just ahead of Johnson. Johnson was sworn in as president just a short while later. 

Lyndon B. Johnson's Presidency 

Johnson wanted his presidency to usher in of a new way of life for America. He called it the Great Society where everyone would be treated equally and have equal opportunity. He used his popularity to pass legislation to help fight crime, prevent poverty, protect the voting rights of minorities, improve education, and conserve the environment. 

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Perhaps the greatest achievement of Johnson's presidency was the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This law made most forms of racial discrimination including segregation in schools illegal. In 1965 Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act which allowed the federal government to insure that the voting rights of all citizens regardless of race were protected. 

The Vietnam War 
The Vietnam War turned out to be Johnson's downfall. Under Johnson the war escalated and U.S. involvement grew. As more and more U.S. soldiers died in the war, Johnson's popularity began to diminish. Many people disagreed with any U.S. involvement at all and protests grew throughout the country. Johnson put his full efforts into gaining a peace settlement, but failed in the end. 

How did he die? 
After retiring to his ranch in Texas, Lyndon Johnson died of a heart attack in 1973. 

Fun Facts About Lyndon B. Johnson

• His wife's nickname "Lady Bird" gave them both the same initials "LBJ". They named their daughters so they would have the "LBJ" initials too.

• Johnson City, Texas was named after a relative of Johnson's.

• He appointed the first African American to the Supreme Court, Thurgood Marshall. He also had the first African American cabinet member when he appointed Robert C. Weaver to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

• Johnson once said that "Education is not a problem. Education is an opportunity."

• At 6 feet 3 ½ inches he was the second tallest president just after Abraham Lincoln at 6 feet 4 inches.