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Doc of the Day: Lyndon Johnson’s “Great Society” Speech
05/22/10
On May 22, 1964—barely six months after assuming office following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy—President Lyndon Johnson introduced his “Great Society” reforms in a commencement address at the University of Michigan. “We have the opportunity to move not only toward the rich society and the powerful society, but upward to the Great Society,” he told the graduates. “The Great Society rests on abundance and liberty for all. It demands an end to poverty and racial injustice, to which we are totally committed in our time.”
To fulfill his vision of the “Great Society,” Johnson proposed a wide-ranging slate of domestic social reforms aimed at eliminating poverty and racism, promoting urban renewal and environmental protection, and improving access to medical care and education. Johnson’s policy initiatives led to a number of long-lasting social programs, including Medicare and Head Start, as well as to significant advances in African-American civil rights.
Read LYNDON B. JOHNSON’S COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN