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Timeline of the LBJ Presidency

 

Photo credit: Yoichi Okamoto

Introduction

Lyndon Baines Johnson was born on August 27, 1908, in central Texas, not far from Johnson City. Growing up, he worked his way through Southwest Texas State Teachers College (now known as Texas State University) and taught students of Mexican descent in Cotulla, Texas. In 1934, Johnson married Claudia "Lady Bird" Taylor after a whirlwind courtship. In 1937, he campaigned successfully for the House of Representatives on a New Deal platform.

During World War II, Lyndon Johnson served briefly in the Navy as a lieutenant commander, receiving a Silver Star in the South Pacific. After six terms in the House, he was elected to the Senate in 1948. In 1953, he became the youngest Minority Leader in Senate history, and the following year, when the Democrats won control, Majority Leader.

In the 1960 presidential campaign, John F. Kennedy chose Johnson as his running mate, and they won the election. On November 22, 1963, the Kennedys and Johnsons were campaigning in Dallas, Texas, when President Kennedy was assassinated, and Lyndon Baines Johnson became the 36th President of the United States. This timeline covers his time as president, and events on the timeline include related conversations and materials.