Skip to main content

What was the response of the Kennedy and Johnson administrations to the civil rights movement?

Both President Kennedy and President Johnson were concerned about the inequalities that existed in the South. They were also very concerned about the images they saw and the reports they received about various protests and events that took place in the South.


President Kennedy campaigned in support of the civil rights movement. However, Congress was not too supportive of his ideas so there weren’t any signature laws passed while he was President. He did, however, propose...

Both President Kennedy and President Johnson were concerned about the inequalities that existed in the South. They were also very concerned about the images they saw and the reports they received about various protests and events that took place in the South.


President Kennedy campaigned in support of the civil rights movement. However, Congress was not too supportive of his ideas so there weren’t any signature laws passed while he was President. He did, however, propose a major civil rights bill, but it didn’t get passed while he was in office. He did appoint African-Americans to high-level positions in the government and in the courts. He also created the Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity to stop the use of discrimination in hiring and in promoting people at the federal level. The Justice Department also filed lawsuits in the South while he was President.


President Johnson was more successful in getting civil rights bills passed. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 banned segregation in public places. President Johnson used the assassination of President Kennedy as a way to get support for this bill. He said it would be a good way to honor President Kennedy’s legacy. He also used his influence and connections in Congress to get enough support to pass this bill. The Voting Rights Act was also passed during President Johnson’s administration. This ended the use of the literacy test and the poll tax as a way to stop people from voting. It also had federal workers register voters in the South.


Both President Johnson and President Kennedy supported the civil rights movement.

Popular posts from this blog

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...

How did the United States become an imperial power?

"Imperial power" is a bit of a vague label. It tends to mean several things at once, so let's unpack it. In the sense of "this country was built on conquest by force," the "imperial power" part of America actually predates the United States proper. The territories that would become the United States were imperial colonies, established by the great European empires of the 17th and 18th centuries. Much of the US Constitution and American governance generally goes back to England, history's largest and most successful imperial power, but vital aspects of American culture come from other imperial powers, such as France and Spain. Much of American culture comes from sources other than the old empires, but they were key influences on what the United States became. In the sense of "this country treats conquest by force as a fundamental component of its culture, economy and politics," the United States has always been an imperial power. Even earl...

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...