December 22, 2012
LADY BIRD JOHNSON BORN 100 YEARS AGO TODAY
Karnack, Texas (JFK+50) Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Taylor Johnson was born 100 years ago today, December 22, 1912, in Karnack, Texas.
Her father was a well-to-do businessman & her nurse said she was "as pretty as a lady bird" & the nickname stuck.
Claudia Alta Taylor (1915)
LBJ Library Photo
Lady Bird graduated from St. Mary's Episcopal College for Women in Dallas & went on to earn two degrees from the University of Texas.
She married Lyndon B. Johnson, who was to become Senate Majority Leader, JFK's Vice-President & 36th President of the United States, on November 17, 1934.
Lady Bird & LBJ
At the Capitol
Washington, D.C. (1934)
LBJ Library Photo
The couple had two daughters, Lynda & Luci.
During the 1960 Presidential campaign, Lady Bird traveled 35,000 miles to 11 states & appeared in 150 events.
As 1st Lady she started a Capital beautification project & promoted the Highway Beautification Act. She was also an avid supporter of the Head Start program.
Lady Bird Johnson died on July 11, 2007. She was the 1st 1st Lady to die in the 21st Century.
Lady Bird Johnson
LBJ Ranch
Stonewall, Texas
LBJ Library Photo
LADY BIRD TELLS OF RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE KENNEDYS IN ORAL HISTORY
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On March 9, 1979, Lady Bird Johnson gave an oral history interview here in the Nation's Capital for the John F. Kennedy Library.
Mrs. Johnson recalled Senator Kennedy as "one of the young bachelors who became the subject of a lot of (glamorous) stories because of his handsome boyish good looks & his family background."
As far as JFK's offer to join him on the ticket in 1960 in the Vice-Presidential slot, Lady Bird recalled that she preferred her husband decline. She said that both of them had been happy in the Senate & LBJ "had always been a very free man."
She feared that as Vice-President he would no longer have that freedom.
Mrs. Johnson said that LBJ accepted because of "party loyalty."
She went on to talk about her 1st visit to the Kennedy Compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. She said that the house was charming & "full of pieces of much-used family furniture....& a lot of pictures of the (Kennedy) family doing things."
It is no secret that LBJ was not particularly thrilled with his position as Vice-President but Lady Bird said...
"President Kennedy couldn't have been more understanding & perceptive & active in choosing things he assigned to Lyndon to do & giving him a very free rein & back up in doing it."
And in regard to reports that the Kennedy administration was not kind to Johnson as Vice-President, Mrs. Johnson said that her husband "was never hurt, angry or disappointed" with the way he was treated by JFK but that "he did feel...some dislike on the part of some of (JFK's) staff."
Lady Bird Johnson
1st Lady
The White House
LBJ Library Photo
December 22, 2012
LBJ LIBRARY REOPENS IN AUSTIN
Austin, Texas (JFK+50) The Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library reopened today after a year of closure due to remodeling.
The reopening coincides with the 100th anniversary of the birth of Lady Bird Johnson.
According to USA Today:
"New technology driven exhibits have been added to the library's three public floors to add context to the sweeping legislation enacted during the tenure of LBJ."
LBJ Library & Museum
Austin, Texas
LBJ Library Photo
The LBJ Library & Museum is open from 9am to 5 pm every day of the year except Christmas Day.
