Birth of America’s 36th President
U.S. #1503 pictures Johnson’s official White House portrait. Painted by Elizabeth Shoumatoff in 1968, Johnson personally selected it as his official portrait.
Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ) was born on August 27, 1908 in Stonewall, Texas, and was the oldest of five children. He was an intelligent boy and began primary school at four years old. His grandfather predicted he would someday become a senator. But before beginning his political career, LBJ dabbled in teaching and a number of odd jobs as he pursued a college degree.
While taking some time off from school, Johnson taught at a segregated Mexican-American school in Cotulla, Texas. There, he witnessed the plight of the impoverished students, realizing not one of them would ever have an opportunity to go on to higher education. It bothered him to know that “the door to knowledge remained closed to any American.”
LBJ started his political career working as Secretary to Texas Congressman Richard Kleberg in 1931. Less than four years later, President Franklin Roosevelt appointed him the Texas Director of the National Youth Administration. Within two years he was elected to the House of Representatives where he championed the fight for public housing and electricity in nonurban areas. Continue reading →