Presidential Administrations

and Their Themes

Kennedy family, July 5, 1963President John F. Kennedy, his wife Jacqueline, and their two young children, John Jr. and Caroline, symbolized youthful energy and idealism. This photograph was taken at their vacation home at Hyannisport on Cape Cod in July 1963. (John F. Kennedy Library)

#35 President John F. #35 President John F. Kennedy (1961-63)Kennedy (1961-63)

assembled one of the assembled one of the youngest cabinets everyoungest cabinets ever

““New Frontier” New Frontier” inspired young inspired young Americans (Peace Americans (Peace Corps, inaugural)Corps, inaugural)

key medical and key medical and education bills stalled education bills stalled in a divided Congressin a divided Congress

slashed taxes to help slashed taxes to help the economythe economy

Kennedy campaigningJohn F. Kennedy is surrounded by supporters and the press as he arrives for the 1960 Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles. Young, handsome, and articulate, Kennedy introduced new vitality, and perhaps superficiality, into political campaigning. On television and in person, Kennedy was a popular politician; when he became president, he became a media star as well. (Wide World Photos, Inc.)

Kennedy campaigningKennedy campaigning

promoted a multi-promoted a multi-billion dollar project billion dollar project to land a man on the to land a man on the moon (Alan Shepard moon (Alan Shepard becomes first U.S. becomes first U.S. man in space – 1961)man in space – 1961)

Berlin Wall erected Berlin Wall erected (August 1961)(August 1961)

Trade Expansion Act Trade Expansion Act (1962) cut tariffs(1962) cut tariffs

#35 President John F. #35 President John F. Kennedy (1961-63)Kennedy (1961-63)

#35 President John F. #35 President John F. Kennedy (1961-63)Kennedy (1961-63)

““flexible response” flexible response” leads to escalation in leads to escalation in Laos & VietnamLaos & Vietnam

Alliance for Progress Alliance for Progress (1961)(1961)

Bay of Pigs invasion Bay of Pigs invasion (April 17, 1961) (April 17, 1961)

Cuban Missile Crisis Cuban Missile Crisis (October 1962)(October 1962)

installation of “hotline” installation of “hotline” and speeches on détente and speeches on détente (1963)(1963)

JFK assassination – November 22, 1963As Jacqueline Kennedy reacts to her

husband being fatally shot in the head, their open-air limousine races to nearby

Parkland Hospital. The president died less than an hour later. CBS television news anchor Walter Cronkite cried as he told

the nation the news. (National Archives)

#35 President John F. #35 President John F. Kennedy (1961-63)Kennedy (1961-63)

Chief Justice Earl Chief Justice Earl Warren leads Warren leads commission into commission into assassination by Lee assassination by Lee Harvey OswaldHarvey Oswald

praised for his ideals praised for his ideals and principles more and principles more than than accomplishmentsaccomplishments

charisma made him charisma made him inspirational for inspirational for 1960s generation1960s generation

LBJ treatmentLyndon Johnson used his body as well as his voice to bend others to his will and gain his objectives.

#36 President Lyndon B. #36 President Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-69)Johnson (1963-69)

a masterful wheeler-a masterful wheeler-dealer with a history as dealer with a history as a Senator (1948) and a Senator (1948) and Democratic Majority Democratic Majority Leader (1954)Leader (1954)

sported a legendary ego sported a legendary ego and vanityand vanity

urged a liberal agenda urged a liberal agenda of social & economic of social & economic bills called “Great bills called “Great Society”Society”

President Johnson signing the Civil Rights Act, 1964

Surrounded by an illustrious group of civil rights leaders and members of Congress, President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Standing behind the president is Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. (Corbis-Bettmann)

#36 President Lyndon B. #36 President Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-69)Johnson (1963-69)

banned racial banned racial discrimination in most discrimination in most private facilities open to private facilities open to the publicthe public

strengthened federal strengthened federal government’s power to government’s power to end segregation in schoolsend segregation in schools

created Equal created Equal Employment Opportunity Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)Commission (EEOC)

issued executive order issued executive order requiring all federal requiring all federal contractors to take contractors to take “affirmative action” (1965)“affirmative action” (1965)

War on Poverty Johnson wanted to be remembered for his domestic programs, especially his effort to reduce poverty. During his presidency, Congress passed a variety of new programs, including Medicaid and Head Start, that targeted the 35 million Americans living below the poverty line. (Richard Wallmeyer/LBJ Library)

#36 President Lyndon B. #36 President Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-69)Johnson (1963-69)

rammed JFK’s tax-bill through rammed JFK’s tax-bill through Congress and added his own Congress and added his own proposals (“War on Poverty”)proposals (“War on Poverty”)

swept Democratic majorities into swept Democratic majorities into Congress in trounce of Goldwater Congress in trounce of Goldwater (1964)(1964)

granted more than $1 billion to granted more than $1 billion to redevelop Appalachiaredevelop Appalachia

created two new Cabinet created two new Cabinet departmentsdepartments Housing and Urban Housing and Urban

Development (HUD)Development (HUD) TransportationTransportation

established National Endowments established National Endowments for the Arts and Humanitiesfor the Arts and Humanities

Johnson signing Medicare legislationPresident Johnson's Great Society greatly expanded the role of society in the lives of Americans through passage of civil rights, welfare, and education legislation. In this picture, President Johnson signs legislation establishing Medicare. His wife, Lady Bird, and Vice President Hubert Humphrey watch in the background.

(Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library)

#36 President Lyndon #36 President Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-69)B. Johnson (1963-69)

Big FourBig Four aid to education (Project aid to education (Project

Head Start)Head Start) Medicare (elderly)Medicare (elderly) Medicaid (poverty) Medicaid (poverty)

established (1965)established (1965) Immigration and Immigration and

Nationality Act of 1965 Nationality Act of 1965 abolished 1921 quota abolished 1921 quota systemsystem

critics charge wastecritics charge waste poverty rate declines poverty rate declines

measurablymeasurably

Violence at Democratic ConventionPhotographs and televised pictures of the Chicago police beating and gassing antiwar protesters and innocent bystanders at the Democratic convention in 1968 linked Democrats in the public mind with violence and mayhem. The scenes made Republican Richard Nixon a reassuring presence to those he would term "the silent majority." ((c) Bettmann/Corbis)

#36 President Lyndon #36 President Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-69)B. Johnson (1963-69)

LBJ praisedLBJ praised did more than any president did more than any president

since Lincoln for civil rightssince Lincoln for civil rights showed compassion for poor showed compassion for poor

an ill-educatedan ill-educated remarkable legislative remarkable legislative

leadershipleadershipLBJ criticizedLBJ criticized

Great Society withers in face Great Society withers in face of war costsof war costs

ever-creeping inflationever-creeping inflation War on Poverty faces War on Poverty faces

resistanceresistance Vietnam quicksandVietnam quicksand