How did Johnson rise to power?

US History – The Presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson, 1963-69

In this course, Professor Mark White (Queen Mary, University of London) explores the life, political career and presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson through five key questions: (1) How did Johnson rise to power?; (2) Why did Johnson go to war in Vietnam?; (3) Why could Johnson not win in Vietnam?; (4) Why did Johnson launch the Great Society and how successful was it?; and (5) What was Johnson's legacy?

How did Johnson rise to power?

In this module, we think about Lyndon Johnson came to power, focusing in particular on: (i) Johnson's family background and early life; (ii) his early career: teaching training college, teaching in Cotulla, legislative secretary to Richard M. Kleberg, head of the National Youth Administration in Texas; (iii) Johnson's political ideology; (iv) move into national politics: congressman in 1937, senator in 1948, senate minority leader in 1953, senate majority leader in 1955; (v) his decision to run for the democratic nomination in 1960, his loss to John F. Kennedy, but his selection as Kennedy's vice-presidential running-mate; (vi) Johnson's time as vice-president and, after Kennedy's assassination on 22 November 1963, his elevation to the presidency.