SAM JOHNSON SR. PREDICTS LBJ WILL BE A SENATOR

LYNDON B. JOHNSON BORN IN STONEWALL, TEXAS

Stonewall, Texas (JFK+50) On August 27, 1908, future 36th President of the United States, Lyndon Baines Johnson, was born here in Stonewall.
Lyndon was the first child of Samuel Ealy Johnson, Jr. and Rebekah Baines Johnson.  Samuel Johnson was a farmer and teacher and also served in the Texas House of Representatives.  Rebekah had also been a schoolteacher.

LBJ's grandfather, Samuel Ealy Johnson, Sr., predicted on the day his grandson was born that Lyndon would one day be a United States Senator.

When he was 5 years old, the family moved to nearby Johnson City, the town named after his grandfather.  After high school, he attended SW Texas State Teachers College located in San Marcos.

Before graduation, LBJ taught in Cortulla, Texas for a year and after graduation was a public speaking and debate teacher at Sam Houston High School in Houston, Texas. 

*Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973) graduated from Southwest Texas State Teachers College in 1930.  He served as a congressional secretary before being appointed director of the National Youth Administration by FDR in 1935.

LBJ was elected to Congress in 1937 and the US Senate in 1948.  He was Senate Majority leader from 1955-1961, Vice-President 1961-1963 and POTUS 1963-1969.

LBJ at Home in Stonewall, Texas

LBJ Library Photo (1915)

"FEELING LIKE AN OUTCAST, LBJ REPEATEDLY LISTENED TO 'BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER'"

A TORMENTED FORMER POTUS DIES

Stonewall, Texas (JFK+50) On January 22, 1973, Lyndon B. Johnson*, 36th President of the United States, passed away at the LBJ Ranch here in Stonewall.

The date of LBJ's death was two days after the end of President Richard M. Nixon's first term, the term that LBJ might have completed.  Mr. Johnson did not seek the renomination of the Democratic Party for the Presidency in 1968.

The former president had suffered three major heart attacks.  The first came in 1955, but despite warnings from his physicians, LBJ continued chain smoking, overeating, and drinking too much.

LBJ was in his bedroom at the time of the last heart attack and was pronounced dead at 4:33 p.m. (CST).  In his last days, Mr. Johnson was said to be "tormented"  by the failure of the Vietnam War. 

Historian Michael Beschloss writes...

"Feeling like an unappreciated outcast, (LBJ) often depressed, repeatedly listened to Simon and Garfunkel's 'Bridge Over Troubled Water'.**

*Lyndon Baines Johnson (1908-1973) was born in Stonewall, TX & earned his B.A. at Texas State University.  LBJ served in the US Navy during WWII & was one of only 4 people to serve as President, Vice-President, U.S. Representative & Senate Majority Leader.

*'Bridge Over Troubled Water', written by Paul Simon & sung by Art Garfunkel, was recorded on Jan. 26, 1970. Within 2 days it was #1 on the charts and stayed there for 6 weeks.   Elvis recorded the song in Nashville on June 5, 1970.  Rolling Stone magazine rated it #47 in the '500 Greatest Songs of All Time'.

SOURCE

"LBJ Agonized Over His Legacy," by Michael Beschloss, www.pbs.org, December 4, 2012.

ADORED BY SOME & DESPISED BY OTHERS

LBJ BORN 110 YEARS AGO TODAY

Stonewall, Texas (JFK+50) On August 27, 1908, future 36th POTUS Lyndon Baines Johnson* was born  here in Stonewall.  Lyndon was the first child of Samuel Ealy Johnson, Jr. and Rebekah Baines Johnson.  Sam was a farmer and teacher and also served in the Texas House of Representatives.  Rebekah had also been a schoolteacher.

LBJ's grandfather, Samuel Ealy Johnson, Sr**., predicted on the day his grandson was born that Lyndon would one day be a United States Senator.

When he was 5 years old, the family moved to nearby Johnson City, the town named after his grandfather. 

Historian Robert Dallek describes LBJ as "not just liked and disliked but adored by some and despised by others."  The man could be "kind, generous and compassionate," or "cruel, dictatorial and...vicious."

*Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973) graduated from Southwest Texas State Teachers College in 1930.  He served as a congressional secretary before being appointed director of the National Youth Administration by FDR in 1935.

LBJ was elected to Congress in 1937 and the US Senate in 1948.  He was Senate Majority leader from 1955-1961, Vice-President 1961-1963 and POTUS 1963-1969.

**Samuel Ealy Johnson, Sr. (1838-1915) was born in Alabama & served in the Civil War at the Battles of Galveston & Pleasant Hill.  SEJ & brother Tom ran the largest cattle driving operation in 7 Texas counties.

SOURCE

"Lyndon B. Johnson, Character Above All," by Robert Dallek, Essays, www.pbs.org/

LBJ at Home in Stonewall, Texas

LBJ Library Photo (1915)

LBJ'S BIRTHDAY

LBJ BORN 106 YEARS AGO TODAY

Stonewall, Texas (JFK+50) The future 36th President of the United States, Lyndon Baines Johnson, was born 106 years ago today, August 27, 1908, here in Stonewall.

Lyndon was the first child of Samuel Ealy Johnson, Jr. and Rebekah Baines Johnson.  Samuel Johnson was a farmer and teacher and also served in the Texas House of Representatives.  Rebekah had also been a schoolteacher.

LBJ's grandfather, Samuel Ealy Johnson, Sr., predicted on the day his grandson was born that Lyndon would one day be a United States Senator.

When he was 5 years old, the family moved to nearby Johnson City, the town named after his grandfather.  After high school, he attended SW Texas State Teachers College located in San Marcos.

Before graduation, LBJ taught in Cortulla, Texas for a year and after graduation was a public speaking and debate teacher at Sam Houston High School in Houston, Texas.

LBJ at Home in Stonewall, Texas

LBJ Library Photo (1915)

*Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973) graduated from Southwest Texas State Teachers College in 1930.  He served as a congressional secretary before being appointed director of the National Youth Administration by FDR in 1935.

LBJ was elected to Congress in 1937 and the US Senate in 1948.  He was Senate Majority leader from 1955-1961, Vice-President 1961-1963 and POTUS 1963-1969.

HOUSE VOTES TO BAN POLL TAX

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) 52 years ago today, August 27, 1962, the United States House of Representatives voted for a constitutional amendment which would forbid the poll tax as a prerequisite to vote in federal elections.

At that time, 5 states required a poll tax.  They included Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Texas and Virginia.

The vote in favor of the amendment was 295 to 86.

President John F. Kennedy expressed approval for the vote.  The President said...

"This culminates a legislative effort of many years to bring about the end of this artificial bar to the right to vote in some of our states.

Receipt for Poll Tax Payment

JFK DEFINES HAPPINESS

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) Fifty-one years ago today, August 27, 1963, President John F. Kennedy spoke to about 5000 students who were in the Nation's Capital attending a government seminar. 

The President, who spoke on the South Lawn at the White House, urged the students to pursue a career in government service. 

 JFK said that, in his opinion, it would be a career that would offer them "happiness" as defined by the Greeks as...

"the full use of your powers along lines of excellence."

Death of LBJ

LYNDON B. JOHNSON DIED 41 YEARS AGO 

Stonewall, Texas (JFK+50) Lyndon B. Johnson, John F. Kennedy's Vice-President from 1961-1963 and 36th President of the United States from 1963-1969, passed away 41 years ago today, January 22, 1973 at the LBJ Ranch.

                  Lyndon Baines Johnson
                             August 1972
                       LBJ Library Photo

The date of LBJ's death was just two days after the end of President Richard M. Nixon's first term, the term that LBJ might have completed.

Mr. Johnson made the decision in March 1968 to not seek the renomination of the Democratic Party for the Presidency.

The former president had suffered three major heart attacks.

The first came in 1955, but despite warnings from his physicians, LBJ reportedly continued chain smoking, overeating, and drinking too much.

LBJ was in his bedroom at the time of the last heart attack and was pronounced dead at 4:33 p.m. (CST).

In his last days, Mr. Johnson was said to be "tormented"  by the failure of the Vietnam War. 

Historian Michael Beschloss writes...

"Feeling like an unappreciated outcast, (LBJ) often depressed, repeatedly listened to Simon and Garfunkel's 'Bridge Over Troubled Water'.*


*'Bridge Over Troubled Water', written by Paul Simon & sung by Art Garfunkel, was recorded on Jan. 26, 1970. Within 2 days it was #1 on the charts and stayed there for 6 weeks.

Part of the song was heard for the 1st time on a CBS TV special, broadcast in Nov 1969.  It was heard in the background as video clips of JFK, RFK and MLK were shown.

Elvis recorded the song in Nashville on June 5, 1970.  Rolling Stone magazine rated it #47 in the '500 Greatest Songs of All Time'.


When you're weary
Feeling small
When tears are in your eyes
And friends just can't be found

If you need a friend
I'm sailing right behind
Like a bridge
Over troubled water
I will ease your mind


There has been a debate about whether or not JFK would have kept LBJ on the ticket in 1964.  Evelyn Lincoln, JFK's personal secretary, wrote in her book 'Kennedy and Johnson' that the President discussed the issue just three days before his death.

JFK was sitting in a rocker in Mrs. Lincoln's office when she asked...

 'Who is your choice as a running mate (in 1964)?'

The President answered without hesitating....

"I am thinking about TERRY SANFORD of North Carolina.  But it will not be Lyndon."

Mrs. Lincoln said she was not shocked by his answer.


SOURCES

"LBJ Agonized Over His Legacy," by Michael Beschloss, www.pbs.org, December 4, 2012.

"Kennedy and Johnson," by Evelyn Lincoln, Holt, Rhinehart and Winston, New York, 1968.

JFK RECOMMENDED CAREER IN GOVERNMENT

August 27, 2013

JFK SAYS GOVERNMENT CAREER OFFERS HAPPINESS 

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President John F. Kennedy, speaking to about 5000 students 50 years ago today, August 27, 1963, recommended government service as a career.

The students, in the Nation's Capital as summer employees of the Federal Government, were gathered on the South Lawn at the White House. 

    JFK Greets Peace Corps Volunteers
                        August 9, 1962
          Photo by Rowland Scherman
                    JFK Library Image

President Kennedy said...

"I can assure you that there is no career which you will adopt when you leave college that will bring you a more and greater sense of satisfaction and a greater feeling of participation in a great effort than will your work here or in your State or in your community."

The President predicted....

"This generation of Americans...will deal with the most difficult, sensitive and dangerous problems that any society of people has ever dealt with at any age."

JFK counseled the students to "understand the great issues" and attempt to have their own view carried out.

The President said their talents were "vitally needed" and, in his opinion, government service would offer them "happiness." 

JFK concluded his remarks by saying...

"The Greeks defined happiness as the full use of your powers along lines of excellence, and I can imagine no place where you can use your powers more fully along lines more excellent in the 1960's than to be in the service of the United States."

SOURCE

"Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States:  John F. Kennedy, 1963, United States Government Printing Office, Washington, 1964.


RED SCARE DOMINATED NY TIMES FRONT PAGE

New York City (JFK+50) Sixty-one years ago today, August 27, 1952, The New York Times carried three articles on its front page relating to the impact the RED SCARE would have on upcoming elections.

In one of the articles, the Times reported that the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee, made up of mostly Republicans, had made the charge that the Radio Writers Guild was dominated by a "small group of communists".

Another article reported the AMERICAN LEGION was demanding, for the 3rd year in a row, that President Harry S Truman fire his Secretary of State Dean Acheson for a "lack of vigor" in fighting communism.

The final article quoteed Democratic presidential nominee Adlai Stevenson as being critical of the use of "patriotism" by Senator Joseph McCarthy in attacking "good Americans" such as Acheson and General George C. Marshall.

LBJ BORN IN TEXAS 105 YEARS AGO TODAY

Stonewall, Texas (JFK+50) Samuel Ealy Johnson, Jr. and Rebekah Baines Johnson were the proud parents of a baby boy born here in Stonewall 105 years ago today, August 27, 1908.

They named their son LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON*.

LBJ was born in a small farmhouse located along the Pedernales River.  

                         LBJ at 1 Month
                 Stonewall, Texas (1908)
                      LBJ Library Photo 

*Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973) After teaching Mexican-American children in Cotulla, Texas, LBJ graduated from Southwest Texas State Teacher's College in 1930. He taught at Pearsall High School and Sam Houston High School in Houston.

LBJ was elected to Congress in 1937, served in the US Navy in WWII, and was elected to the Senate in 1948. Senator Johnson was majority leader 1955-1961, Vice President 1961-63, and 36th POTUS 1963-1969.


LORD MOUNTBATTEN KILLED BY IRA BOMB BLAST 34 YEARS AGO TODAY

London, U.K. (JFK+50) Lord Louis Mountbatten was killed 34 years ago today, August 27, 1979, when Irish Republican Army (IRA) terrorists set off a fifty pound bomb hidden aboard his fishing vessel.

The 79 year old Mountbatten, the 2nd cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, was enjoying the day with his family off Ireland's northwest coast when the bomb exploded.

He was commander of the 5th destroyer flotilla in WWII and in 1942 was appointed chief of operations eventually becoming Supreme Allied Commander of Southeast Asia.*

*This was the 1st attack by the IRA on the British Royal Family.

             Lord Louis Mountbatten
       Photo by Allan Warren (1976)