In his first State of the Union address, Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson confronted a nation still mourning the loss of John F. Kennedy. He asked Congress and the American people to support Kennedy’s agenda, specifically a civil rights bill then stalled in the House of Representatives. Johnson argued that continued racial discrimination “is not merely an economic issue, or a social, political, or international issue. It is a moral issue.” For those who thought Johnson might
seek compromises that would dilute the provisions of the bill in order to secure passage, the president soon proved his dedication to equal rights.
seek compromises that would dilute the provisions of the bill in order to secure passage, the president soon proved his dedication to equal rights.