Lyndon Baines Johnson

Each volume in the American Presidents Reference Series is organized around an individual presidency and gathers a host of biographical, analytical, and primary source historical material that will analyze the presidency and bring the president, his dministration, and his times to life. The series focuses on key moments in U.S. political history as seen through the eyes of the most influential presidents to take the oath of office. Unique headnotes provide the context to data, tables and excerpted primary source documents. ''''Lyndon Baines Johnson was born in 1908. He was first elected to Congress in 1937 and reelected twice. When he set his sights on the U.S. Senate in 1940 he was defeated. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Johnson was the first member of the House to volunteer for active military duty. In 1949 he became a U.S. Senator and was elected its majority leader in 1955. Johnson sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 1960, but lost to John F. Kennedy, who would offer him the vice president spot. In a close election, the Kennedy/Johnson ticket prevailed over Nixon/Lodge. ''''In 1963 Vice President Johnson was part of the motorcade traveling through Dallas, Texas when Lee Harvey Oswald assassinated Kennedy. Johnson, while aboard Air Force One, was sworn in as 36th president of the United States. His administration crafted and oversaw several great moments in American history, including civil rights efforts, the Great Society, and technological advances. These events were, to some degree, overshadowed by the poor economy, civil unrest, and the U.S involvement in the Vietnam War. Troubled by his rapidly declining public approval, he did not seek re-election. ''''This new volume on the presidency of Lyndon Baines Johnson will cover:''''His political skills ''Replacing JFK''The Vietnam War''The Economy''The Great Society''Civil Rights''Technology and Space''

Thomas S. Langston is associate professor of political science at Tulane University