LBJ's Fight for Equal Rights
Lyndon B. Johnson's Historic Speech A Turning Point in Civil Rights
Who Was Lyndon B. Johnson?
36th President of the United States Became president in 1963 after President Kennedy From Texas Known as 'LBJ' Believed strongly in helping all Americans
What Were Civil Rights?
The right to be treated fairly Equal opportunities for all people Freedom to go to school, work, and live anywhere Some people were treated unfairly because of their skin color Laws kept people separated
Watch LBJ's Famous Speech
Let's watch President Johnson talk about civil rights Listen for key words like 'equality' and 'justice' Think: How did his words help change America? We'll discuss what we learned after watching
America in the 1960s
The Big Problem LBJ Wanted to Fix
African Americans couldn't vote in many places Unfair laws called 'Jim Crow laws' People were kept apart because of skin color Many Americans were being treated badly LBJ knew this was wrong and wanted to change it
LBJ's Famous Words
'We shall overcome' These words meant that Americans would work together to solve problems and make things fair for everyone
What LBJ's Speech Accomplished
Led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 Made it illegal to stop people from voting because of their race Sent federal workers to protect voters Opened voting to millions of African Americans Made America more fair and democratic
Before and After LBJ's Actions
{"left":"Many African Americans couldn't vote\nUnfair laws kept people separated\nSome people had fewer opportunities","right":"All Americans can vote regardless of race\nLaws protect equal rights\nMore opportunities for everyone"}
Think and Share
Think about a time when you saw someone being treated unfairly What could you do to help make things more fair? How can we make sure everyone feels included in our classroom? Share your ideas with a partner
Discussion Question
Why do you think President Johnson's speech was so important for America? How did his words help change unfair laws? What can we learn from LBJ about standing up for what's right?