The Greatness the Great Society

After the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963, Lyndon Johnson became President of the United States. In a speech on May 22, 1964, Johnson stated, “We have the opportunity to move not only toward the rich society and the powerful society, but toward the Great Society that demands an end to poverty and racial injustice, to which we are totally committed in our time.” Johnson envisioned a legislative program that would promote a richer quality of life for all.

Between 1965 and 1966, Johnson's administration introduced many bills to Congress. Johnson considered education "the key which can unlock the door to the Great Society." Signed into law on April 11, 1965, the Elementary and Education Act of 1965 was the most important educational component of the Great Society. As one of the earliest federal aid packages for education in U.S. history, it provided more than $1 billion to help schools purchase materials and create special education programs in schools with a strong concentration of low-income children. Additionally, legislation regarding health was prioritized. Congress passed the Social Security Act of 1965, which authorized Medicare, providing hospital insurance and low-cost medical insurance to Americans age 65 or older. Title XIX of the Social Security Act created Medicaid, which extended health insurance to welfare recipients.

Congress also made several important decisions regarding housing, the environment and consumer protection. The Department of Housing and Urban Developmnt (HUD) was created. Also, Congress appropriated 240,000 units of low-rent public housing, which helped shift the nation's political power from rural to urban areas. Environmental protection was promoted when Congress passed the Water Quality Act of 1965, which required states to clean up rivers. Johnson also ordered the government to find the worst chemical polluters. Regarding consumer protection, Congress passed major safety laws, including a truth-in-packaging law that set standards for labeling consumer goods.

The most important domestic achievement of the Great Society programs was undoubtedly its profound effect on civil rights. Four civil rights acts were passed, including three in the first two years of Johnson's presidency. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 forbade job discrimination and the segregation of public accommodations. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 assured minority registration and voting. The Great Society also brought profound changes to the nation's immigration laws. The Immigration Act of 1965 ended quotas based on nationality and opened the door for many non-European immigrants to settle in the U.S.

Clearly, the optimism and determination of the LBJ administration were key factors in helping create numerous programs concerning education, housing, health, civil rights, the environment, consumer safety, and immigration. These Great Programs helped create, on some level, the Great Society that Lyndon B. Johnson had envisioned.

By Victor