Introduction
More than a century has passed after the Emancipation Proclamation. However, African Americans were facing great challenges of the unequal treating in Southern states. They faced many struggles including oppressions, race-inspired violence, and segregation along with Puerto Ricans and American Indians. Jim Crow’s laws put those people aside from all possible public and educational establishments. Entire communities were barred from schools, theaters, bathrooms and working positions. This defining period boosted young civil right activists to arrange massive protests without violent actions. Their only goal was to make government and society understand they called for equality and rights as anybody else in the country. Some of those young activists grew to prominence during that period. They include such defining names in American history as Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Rosa Parks and many others. They took a risk to meet that crucial problem face to face.
Johnson’s Respond to the Civil Rights Movement
The Civil Rights movements came as an inspiration for many young Americans. Many people were born in the atmosphere of those events. At the same time, they brought some other social topics of inequality to discuss. The problem of gay and lesbian rights appeared to be rather challenging and disruptive to the society. That is why some of those activists dropped out creating a better cohort for themselves. They include hippies and other social layers that were not eager to change things while others were trying to shape the society and change the lifestyle that was adopted during the Cold War. A growing number of such movements turned out to be a headache for the government. Several efforts were made to handle the situation. It was a defining period for Johnson providing him an opportunity to complete the unfinished task after the assassination of Kennedy. Though being rather conservative in the Senate, Johnson decided to change his strategy as the candidate and opted for roots that were more liberal. It resulted in the implementation of the biggest reform since the New Deal. It appeared that “Johnson painfully accepted new limits to the great society” (Oakes et al.873).
Johnson had enough time before the election to ensure every citizen he did deserve that opportunity. The Civil Right Bill was probably the biggest legislative piece that was passed. JFK was unable to complete it following his promises. At the same time, the Civil Right Act was a guarantee that all discriminations and oppressions would be finally prohibited. The act banned any forms of gender or racial discriminations while racial minorities were allowed visiting public places along with educational and other facilities, at least on the paper. Johnson was the one to sign the Economic Opportunity Act in 1964. In addition, “Congress passed the Voting Act of 1965” (Oakes et al. 858).The idea was to get rid of poverty among American citizens of any race and ethnic group. The government launched additional educational and training programs. Head Start preschool social program was among them.
Conclusion
Though considered as a rather conservative political, Johnson opted for another root. He actually declared war on equality and poverty in the United States. The prior goal was to build a better society and remove any signs of tough challenges and troubles poor people had to face every day. This strategy made it possible for him to earn a good handicap in the face of Barry Goldwater, who was his main opponent. All those events resulted in a decisive victory for the future president of the United States.
Works Cited
Oakes, James, Michael McGerr, Jan Ellen Lewis and Jeanne Boydston. Of the People: A History of the United States. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. 2012. Print.