This page will contain blogs about John Quincy Adams, as they become available.John Quincy AdamsJohn Quincy Adams (July 11, 1767 – February 23, 1848) was the sixth (1825-1829) President of the United States. He was the son of President John Adams and First Lady Abigail Smith. Adams's most important contributions to American history came before and after his relatively ineffective term as President. Before becoming President, he was the most experienced diplomat in the United States. While serving as Secretary of State under President James Monroe, Adams negotiated the Adams-Onís Treaty with Spain and devised the Monroe Doctrine, both of which were of long lasting importance. For these activities he has been called "the most influential American grand strategist of the nineteenth century" and "perhaps the greatest secretary of state in American history."1 Adams was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1830, one of only two U.S. Presidents to serve in Congress after having been President. (Andrew Johnson was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1875.) As a Congressman, Adams became an opponent of slavery, and because he was an ex-president, he became one of the most prominent supporters of abolition in the country. BiographyAdams was born in Braintree, Massachusetts in a part of town which eventually become the separate town of Quincy. His birthplace is open to the public, as is the nearby cairn marking the site from which he viewed the Battle of Bunker Hill as a 7-year-old boy. He acquired his early education in Europe at venerable institutions such as the University of Leiden while accompanying his father while the elder Adams was serving as an American envoy to France and later the Netherlands during the Revolutionary War. He graduated from Harvard University in 1787 and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He studied law after which he was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Boston. President George Washington appointed him Minister to the Netherlands in 1794, Minister to Portugal in 1796 and Minister to Prussia in 1797. While serving abroad, he met Louisa Catherine Johnson, the daughter of an American merchant living abroad. Despite his father's opposition to him having a foreign-born wife, Adams wed Louisa Johnson in 1797. The couple named one of their sons after George Washington. (As of 2004, Adams is the only U.S. President to do so.) He afterwards returned to Quincy where he lived in the "Old House" (now a museum). He began his political career in 1802 when he elected to the Massachusetts State Senate. Adams was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the U.S. House of Representatives in the same year. He was elected as a Federalist to the United States Senate and served from March 4, 1803, until June 8, 1808, when he resigned, a successor having been elected six months early after Adams broke with the Federalist Party. He was Minister (Ambassador) to Russia from 1809 to 1814, a member of the commission which negotiated the Treaty of Ghent in 1814, and Minister to the United Kingdom from 1815 to 1817. During this time, Adams and his wife lost to illness an infant daughter, born in 1811. He was Secretary of State in the Cabinet of President James Monroe from 1817 to 1825, a tenure during which he was instrumental in the acquisition of Florida and in keeping the United States from becoming dependent on England. He was sometimes called the "Lone Wolf" for his positions during this time because he often did not go with everyone else's opinion. Typically, however, his alone were the ones that Monroe decided upon. As Secretary of State, he negotiated the Adams-Onís Treaty and helped develop the Monroe Doctrine, which warned European nations not to meddle in affairs of the Western Hemisphere. Adams received one electoral vote in the presidential election of 1820. President James Monroe ran virtually unopposed for re-election, but one elector cast his ballot for Adams, allegedly to ensure that George Washington remained the only American president unanimously chosen by the electoral college. PresidencyElection to PresidencyJohn Quincy Adams postage stampAlthough Adams lost in both the popular and electoral votes in the Presidential election of 1824, none of the candidates were able to secure a majority of the electoral vote, thereby putting the outcome in the hands of the House of Representatives, which to the surprise of many elected Adams over rival Andrew Jackson. Adams served as President from March 4, 1825 to March 3, 1829. During this time he worked on developing a federal system of roads, canals, bridges, lighthouses, and universities until Jackson, who defeated Adams in the latter's quest for re-election, was sworn in to replace him. CabinetSupreme Court appointmentsAdams appointed the following Justices to the Supreme Court of the United States:
States admitted to the UnionNone Later lifeRather than retire, Adams would go on to win election as a Democratic-Republican to the House of Representatives beginning with the 22nd Congress, serving from March 4, 1831, until his death. He was chairman of the Committee on Manufactures (for the 22nd through 26th, 28th and 29th Congresses, respectively), the Committee on Indian Affairs (for the 27th Congress) and the Committee on Foreign Affairs (also for the 27th Congress). Adams posed for this photograph in 1843, the first taken of a US PresidentHe was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor of Massachusetts in 1834. In 1841, Adams represented the Amistad Africans in the Supreme Court of the United States and successfully argued that the Africans, who had seized control of a Spanish ship where they were being held as illegal slaves, should not be returned to Spain, but returned home as free people. Adam's son Charles Francis also pursued a career in politics. Adams died of a cerebral hemorrhage on February 23, 1848 in the Capitol Building, Washington, D.C.. His interment was in the family burial ground at Quincy, Massachusetts and he was subsequently reinterred after his wife's death in a family crypt in the United First Parish Church across the street, where his tomb can be viewed today. An Anti-Paine newspaper won him some more political attention. Trivia
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An Anti-Paine newspaper won him some more political attention. Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously in 1980. His interment was in the family burial ground at Quincy, Massachusetts and he was subsequently reinterred after his wife's death in a family crypt in the United First Parish Church across the street, where his tomb can be viewed today. It is known as Lyndon Baines Johnson Day. Adams died of a cerebral hemorrhage on February 23, 1848 in the Capitol Building, Washington, D.C. Also, the Texas State Legislature created a legal state holiday to be observed on August 27 to mark LBJ's birthday. Adam's son Charles Francis also pursued a career in politics. Johnson Space Center. In 1841, Adams represented the Amistad Africans in the Supreme Court of the United States and successfully argued that the Africans, who had seized control of a Spanish ship where they were being held as illegal slaves, should not be returned to Spain, but returned home as free people. Later in 1973, President Nixon signed Congressional legislation renaming the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston the Lyndon B. He was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor of Massachusetts in 1834. The state funeral was part of a busy week for the Military District of Washington, which began with Nixon's second inauguration.1. He was chairman of the Committee on Manufactures (for the 22nd through 26th, 28th and 29th Congresses, respectively), the Committee on Indian Affairs (for the 27th Congress) and the Committee on Foreign Affairs (also for the 27th Congress). Anita Bryant closed the services by singing "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," paying tribute to her friendship with the former president, at his own request. Rather than retire, Adams would go on to win election as a Democratic-Republican to the House of Representatives beginning with the 22nd Congress, serving from March 4, 1831, until his death. Billy Graham. None. The burial service was the first presidential burial to feature a eulogy, and the eulogies were delivered by former Texas Democratic governor John Connally, an LBJ protege and fellow Texan, who was wounded in the assassination that made Johnson president, and by the minister who officiated the services, Rev. Adams appointed the following Justices to the Supreme Court of the United States:. Johnson was buried that afternoon at his ranch in Texas. Adams served as President from March 4, 1825 to March 3, 1829. Dr. Although Adams lost in both the popular and electoral votes in the Presidential election of 1824, none of the candidates were able to secure a majority of the electoral vote, thereby putting the outcome in the hands of the House of Representatives, which to the surprise of many elected Adams over rival Andrew Jackson. Marvin Watson, and the church's rector, Rev. President James Monroe ran virtually unopposed for re-election, but one elector cast his ballot for Adams, allegedly to ensure that George Washington remained the only American president unanimously chosen by the electoral college. They came from former White House Chief of Staff, and Postmaster General W. Adams received one electoral vote in the presidential election of 1820. The service, which foreign dignitaries, led by former Japanese prime minister Eisaku Sato, attended, was the first presidential funeral to feature a eulogy. As Secretary of State, he negotiated the Adams-Onís Treaty and helped develop the Monroe Doctrine, which warned European nations not to meddle in affairs of the Western Hemisphere. The funeral was held at the National City Christian Church (in Washington, D.C.), where he worshipped often when president. Typically, however, his alone were the ones that Monroe decided upon. The final services took place on January 25. He was sometimes called the "Lone Wolf" for his positions during this time because he often did not go with everyone else's opinion. Pickle and former Secretary of State Dean Rusk eulogized at the Capitol. He was Secretary of State in the Cabinet of President James Monroe from 1817 to 1825, a tenure during which he was instrumental in the acquisition of Florida and in keeping the United States from becoming dependent on England. Johnson was honored with a state funeral in which Texas Congressman J.J. During this time, Adams and his wife lost to illness an infant daughter, born in 1811. He was found in his bed, reaching for his phone. He was Minister (Ambassador) to Russia from 1809 to 1814, a member of the commission which negotiated the Treaty of Ghent in 1814, and Minister to the United Kingdom from 1815 to 1817. His health ruined by years of heavy smoking and stress, the former President had severe heart disease. He was elected as a Federalist to the United States Senate and served from March 4, 1803, until June 8, 1808, when he resigned, a successor having been elected six months early after Adams broke with the Federalist Party. Johnson died at 4:33 PM on January 22, 1973 from a third heart attack at his ranch, at the age of 64. House of Representatives in the same year. Johnson National Historical Park, with the proviso that the ranch "remain a working ranch and not become a sterile relic of the past" [3]. Adams was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the U.S. He donated his Texas ranch in his will to the public to form the Lyndon B. He began his political career in 1802 when he elected to the Massachusetts State Senate. That year, the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum, which is the most visited presidential library in the nation—over a quarter million visitors per year—opened on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin. He afterwards returned to Quincy where he lived in the "Old House" (now a museum). In 1971, he published his memoirs, The Vantage Point. President to do so.). After leaving the presidency in 1969, Johnson went home to his ranch in Johnson City, Texas. (As of 2004, Adams is the only U.S. Nixon. The couple named one of their sons after George Washington. The Democratic nomination eventually went to Johnson's Vice President Hubert Humphrey, who was later defeated in the 1968 election by Richard M. Despite his father's opposition to him having a foreign-born wife, Adams wed Louisa Johnson in 1797. He cited the growing division within the country over the war as his reason. While serving abroad, he met Louisa Catherine Johnson, the daughter of an American merchant living abroad. However, on March 31, 1968, after the Tet Offensive, a narrow victory over Eugene McCarthy in the New Hampshire primary, the entry of Robert Kennedy into the presidential race, and new lows in the opinion polls, he announced, in an address to the nation, that he would no longer seek renomination for the presidency. President George Washington appointed him Minister to the Netherlands in 1794, Minister to Portugal in 1796 and Minister to Prussia in 1797. Under the 22nd Amendment, Johnson was still eligible for a second full term, having served less than two years of Kennedy's term. He studied law after which he was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Boston. Johnson appointed the following Justices to the Supreme Court of the United States:. He graduated from Harvard University in 1787 and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. His birthplace is open to the public, as is the nearby cairn marking the site from which he viewed the Battle of Bunker Hill as a 7-year-old boy. During these protests students would often chant the line, "Hey, hey, LBJ, how many kids have you killed today?" In what was termed an October surprise, Johnson announced to the nation on March 31, 1968 that he ordered a complete cessation of "all air, naval, and artillery bombardment of North Vietnam" effective November 1 citing progress with the Paris peace talks. Adams was born in Braintree, Massachusetts in a part of town which eventually become the separate town of Quincy. As more and more American soldiers and civilians were killed in Vietnam, Johnson's popularity declined, particularly in the face of student protests. . Against his wishes, Johnson's presidency was soon dominated by the Vietnam War. Senate in 1875.) As a Congressman, Adams became an opponent of slavery, and because he was an ex-president, he became one of the most prominent supporters of abolition in the country. At the same time, Johnson was afraid that too much focus on Vietnam would distract attention from his Great Society programs, so the levels of military escalation, while significant, were never enough to make any real headway in the war. (Andrew Johnson was elected to the U.S. In one speech, he said of the Vietnam conflict "If we allow Vietnam to fall, tomorrow we’ll be fighting in Hawaii, and next week in San Francisco" - advocating Eisenhower's 'Domino Theory'. Presidents to serve in Congress after having been President. Though he would often privately curse the war, referring to it as his "bitch mistress," at the same time Johnson believed that America could not afford to look weak in the eyes of the world, and so he escalated the war effort continuously from 1964 to 1968, which resulted in thousands of American deaths. House of Representatives in 1830, one of only two U.S. President Johnson had a dislike for the American war effort in Vietnam, which he had inherited from Kennedy, but expanded considerably following the Gulf of Tonkin Incident (less than 3 weeks after the Republican Convention of 1964 which had nominated Barry Goldwater for president). Adams was elected to the U.S. He said he was withdrawing as a candidate so he could devote his full efforts, unimpeded by politics, to the quest for peace—however, there was no significant progress in that direction. For these activities he has been called "the most influential American grand strategist of the nineteenth century" and "perhaps the greatest secretary of state in American history."1. At the same time, he startled the world by withdrawing as a candidate for re-election (which candidacy was being seriously challenged by other Democrats). While serving as Secretary of State under President James Monroe, Adams negotiated the Adams-Onís Treaty with Spain and devised the Monroe Doctrine, both of which were of long lasting importance. Controversy over the war had become acute by the end of March 1968, when he limited the bombing of North Vietnam in order to begin negotiations. Before becoming President, he was the most experienced diplomat in the United States. Despite Johnson's efforts to end Communist insurgency and achieve a settlement, fighting continued. Adams's most important contributions to American history came before and after his relatively ineffective term as President. The other crisis arose from Vietnam. He was the son of President John Adams and First Lady Abigail Smith. President Johnson steadily exerted his influence against segregation and on behalf of law and order, but there was no early solution. John Quincy Adams (July 11, 1767 – February 23, 1848) was the sixth (1825-1829) President of the United States. Despite the beginning of new anti-poverty and anti-discrimination programs, unrest and rioting in black ghettos troubled the nation. "Greatest secretary of state": Samuel Flagg Bemis. Nevertheless, two overriding crises had been gaining momentum since 1965. 15. When three astronauts successfully orbited the moon in December 1968, Johnson congratulated them: "You've taken … all of us, all over the world, into a new era….". Note 1: "Influential grand strategist": John Lewis Gaddis, Surprise, Security, and the American Experience (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2004, ISBN 0674011740), p. Under Johnson, the country made spectacular explorations of space in a program he had championed since its start. Treaty of Ghent. Millions of elderly people found succor through the 1965 Medicare amendment to the Social Security Act. Adams-Onis Treaty. Congress, at times augmenting or amending, rapidly enacted Johnson's recommendations. Mount Quincy Adams. The Great Society program became Johnson's agenda for Congress in January 1965: aid to education, attack on disease, Medicare, urban renewal, beautification, conservation, development of depressed regions, a wide-scale fight against poverty, control and prevention of crime and delinquency, and removal of obstacles to the right to vote. presidential election, 1828. The election, though a success for the Democratic Party, marked the beginning of the long transformation of the Democrats' Solid South to a Republican bastion. U.S. In the same year, Johnson lost the popular vote to Republican challenger Barry Goldwater in the Deep South states of Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and South Carolina, a region that had voted for Democrats since the Reconstruction era. presidential election, 1824. Aaron Henry with the intent of seating a passionate and charismatic leader of the Mississippi Freedom Movement, Fannie Lou Hamer, the Democrats at the convention offered the MFDP an unsatisfactory compromise and the MFDP rejected it rather than appear concilatory in the eyes of their "comrades". U.S. To appease the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP) chaired by Dr. presidential election, 1820. However, 1964 was also the year that Johnson supported the racist Democratic delegates from Mississippi and denied the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party seats at the 1964 Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey. U.S. In 1964, Johnson won the Presidency in his own right with 61 percent of the vote and the widest popular margin in American history—more than 15,000,000 votes. [1]. Members of Congress who Johnson wanted a vote from looked visibly shaken after their meeting with the President. She learned that Adams liked to take nude dips in the Potomac River almost every morning around 5 a.m., so she went to the river, gathered his clothes and sat on them until he answered all of her questions. An example of his strong arm tactics was 'The Treatment'; this was where he saw people alone in a small adjoining room where he would pull his chair close to the guests and lean forward until his nose was inches away from the visitor's face. Adams had repeatedly refused requests for an interview with Anne Royall, the first female professional journalist in the U.S., so she took a different approach to accomplish her goal. Johnson also hired Jerri Whittington, the first African-American White House secretary, and appointed Jack Valenti as his "special assistant.". President to give an interview to a woman; however, he did not have much choice. In 1964, upon Johnson's request, Congress passed a tax-reduction law and the Economic Opportunity Act, which was in association with the War on Poverty. John Quincy Adams is the first U.S. Johnson used his famous charm and strong-arm tactics, to push through his new policies. President to wear long pants instead of knee britches. In his first year, Johnson faced conflicts with everyone from Senators to speechwriters who wanted to honor Kennedy's legacy, but were reluctant to support new propositions by Johnson. John Quincy Adams was the first U.S. Hughes, a very close friend of his family, making him the first president sworn in by a woman. Bush. He was sworn in by federal judge Sarah T. Bush and George W. Johnson was sworn-in as President on Air Force One in Dallas at Love Field Airport after the assassination of President Kennedy on November 22, 1963. W. Johnson knew that Project Apollo and an enlarged NASA would benefit Texas and southern states most directly so steered the recommendation towards a crash program for a manned lunar landing. The second father-son duo is Presidents George H. with the first manned spaceflight Kennedy tasked Johnson with coming up with a 'scientific bonanza' that would prove world leadership. He is the first President whose father was also President. beat the U.S. Robert Trimble - 1826. When in April 1961 the U.S.S.R. Johnson was crucially made chairman of the President's Ad Hoc Committee for Science. Kennedy gave Johnson control over all presidential appointments involving Texans. He also sat on Cabinet and National Security meetings, giving him an insight into the presidency. During his tenure as Vice President, Johnson also took on some international missions, which gave him limited insights into foreign problems. Upon swearing in, Kennedy appointed Johnson to head the President's Committee on Equal Employment Opportunities, which led him to work with blacks and other minorities. The only state to have its results changed was Hawaii-which was ruled to have gone to Kennedy not Nixon. However, there were no criminal convictions. Daley) and Johnson's home state of Texas. There were serious accusations of voter fraud, especially in Illinois (home of the political machine run by Richard J. Nixon and Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr., by a narrow margin. In November 1960 the Kennedy/Johnson duo beat out Richard M. Marvin Watson) say that the Kennedy campaign was desperate to get Johnson on the ticket to help carry Southern voters. Others (such as W. Some later reports (such as Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.) say that Kennedy offered the position to Johnson as a courtesy, and did not expect him to accept. During the convention, Kennedy designated Johnson as his choice for vice president. Kennedy. In 1960, Johnson received 409 votes on the first and only ballot at the Democratic convention which nominated John F. He was Texas' "favorite son" candidate at the party's national convention in 1956. Johnson's success in the Senate led to his name being widely mentioned as a possible Democratic presidential candidate. His duties were to schedule legislation and help pass measures favored by the Democrats. In 1954, Johnson was re-elected to the Senate and since the Democrats won the majority in the Senate, Johnson became majority leader. One of his first actions was to eliminate the seniority system in committee selection. Thus, he became the youngest man ever named to the post by either major political party. In 1953, he was chosen by his fellow Democrats to be the minority leader. After only a few years in the Senate, Johnson was moving up in leadership power. However, Johnson's brilliant strategic leaks, his overall manipulation of the press, the incredible speed at which his committee issued new reports (less incredible considering the recycled content), and the fact that he ensured every report was endorsed unanimously by the committee all got him headlines and national attention. These investigations--couched in headline-grabbing phraseology but largely devoid of substance--tended to recycle old investigations and demand actions that were already being taken by the Truman admininstration. With Russell's support, Johnson eventually was able to become its chairman and conducted a number of investigations of defense costs and efficiency. Johnson was appointed to the Armed Services Committee, and later in 1950, he helped create the Preparedness Investigating Subcommittee. Johnson, always at his best when working one-on-one, proceeded to gain Russell's favor in the same way as he had "courted" Speaker Sam Rayburn and gained his crucial support in the House. Desperate to rise in power, Johnson was known among his colleagues for his highly successful "courtships" of older Senators, especially Senator Richard Russell, patrician leader of the Southern bloc and arguably the most powerful man in the Senate. Once in the Senate, Johnson immediately began to work toward his ultimate goal: the presidency. Johnson went on to win the general election, but the Texas media sardonically nicknamed him "Landslide Lyndon" in reference to his bout with Stevenson. Supreme Court justice Hugo Black to dissolve the federal injunction nullifying Johnson's runoff victory. Through legal maneuvering, Fortas was able to convince U.S. Stevenson contested the vote count, but Johnson hired Abe Fortas to represent him in federal court. (His campaign manager, John Connally, was thought to be connected with 202 ballots in Jim Wells County that had curiously been cast in alphabetical order.[1][2]). Johnson campaigned very hard and won by only 87 votes out of a million cast. This election was highly controversial: a three-way Democratic Party primary left Johnson in a run-off with former governor Coke Stevenson. In 1948, Johnson again ran for the Senate and this time won. He returned to his seat in the House of Representatives where he continued to serve through 1949. Shortly after this incident, President Roosevelt ordered members of Congress serving in the military to return to their offices, and Johnson was discharged forthwith. Lyndon Johnson's Silver Star citation is as follows:. On NPR, in a narrative about medals and politicians, it was stated Johnson demanded the Silver Star from General Douglas MacArthur because he had been in an airplane that had been fired upon. It was speculated that the decoration was largely for political purposes. After World War II, some sources challenged the circumstances in which Johnson had been awarded his Silver Star. Awards and decorations included the Silver Star, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal. During World War II he served briefly in the United States Navy as a Lieutenant Commander. entered World War II. During his last campaign, he promised that he would serve in the military should war break out; in December 1941, the U.S. Though Johnson was expected to win, he was defeated by controversial late returns in an election marked by massive fraud on the part of both campaigns. Lee "Pappy" O'Daniel. Senate in a special election against the sitting governor of Texas, radio personality W. In 1941, Johnson ran for the U.S. He also worked for rural electrification and other improvements for his district. Johnson was immediately appointed to the Naval Affairs Committee, a job that carried high importance for a freshman congressman. President Roosevelt showed a personal interest in the young Texan from the time he entered Congress. He ran on a New Deal platform and was effectively aided by his wife, Lady Bird Johnson. In 1937, Johnson ran for Congress in a special election for the 10th Congressional District of Texas to represent Austin, Texas and the surrounding Hill Country. After receiving the degree he found that his congressional duties took so much time he was unable to pursue the masonic degrees. Johnson received his first degree in Freemasonry on October 30, 1937. Johnson was a notoriously tough boss with his employees throughout his career, often demanding long workdays and work on weekends; he worked as much as they did, if not more. He served as the head for two years, only resigning to run for Congress. The position in effect enabled him to build political pull with his constituents. His new post enabled him to use the powers of government to find educational and job opportunities for young people. In 1935, Johnson became the head of the Texas National Youth Administration. His daughters' given names are examples, as was his dog later in life (Little Beagle Johnson). It should be noted that Johnson loved to give everything his own initials. The couple later had two daughters, Lynda Bird, born in 1944, and Lucy Baines, born in 1947. After only a short period of dating, the two were married on November 17, 1934. During his tenure as secretary, Johnson met Claudia Alta Taylor (generally known as Lady Bird), a young woman who was also from Texas. Roosevelt, as well as fellow Texans such as Vice President John Nance Garner. Johnson's friends soon included some of the men who worked around President Franklin D. As secretary, Johnson became acquainted with people of influence, found out how they had reached their positions, and gained their respect for his abilities. Kleberg and was later rewarded for his work in the campaign with an appointment to be the newly elected congressman's secretary. In 1931 Johnson campaigned for Richard M. Johnson's father had served five terms in the Texas legislature and was a close friend to one of Texas's rising political figures, Congressman Sam Rayburn. However, he soon quit his job teaching and went into the field of politics. Soon after he graduated from college, Johnson taught public speaking and debate in a Houston high school. Even though he participated in debate and campus politics, edited the school newspaper, and spent a year away from his studies teaching school, Johnson somehow managed to graduate in only 312 days. In 1927 Johnson enrolled in Southwest Texas State Teachers' College. Johnson attended public schools and graduated from Johnson City High School in 1924. His parents, Samuel Ealy Johnson and Rebekah Baines, had four more children: his sisters Rebekah (1910-1978), Josefa (1912-1961) and Lucia (1916-1997) and his brother Sam Houston (1914-1978). Johnson was born in Stonewall, Texas on August 27, 1908 in a small farmhouse in a poor area on the Pedernales River. . The only American president to have ever visited Malaysia. Bush and Clinton in 1946). Bush and Carter in 1924, and G.W. All other American presidents born in the 20th century were all born after LBJ (Reagan in 1911, Nixon and Ford in 1913, Kennedy in 1917, G.H.W. Johnson, while using the White House bathroom, was known to call others in with him and use this forum for conversation. He had a soda tap installed in the Oval Office. His favorite soft drink was Fresca, which he drank constantly. At his ranch in Texas, he was fond of taking visitors in the car while driving 90 miles an hour down country roads, drinking scotch from a paper cup. All of these people, recorded for posterity in White House tapes, were overwhelmingly complimentary. After delivering a major speech on civil rights, he called 32 people, all of whom he knew would greatly approve of his speech, to ask what they thought. Johnson seemed to crave personal approval. Johnson's secretary revealed years later that he would wash and reuse styrofoam cups. The White House press corps would make jokes at his expense regarding his habit of turning off all lights in the White House when the rooms were not in use. In fact Johnson was a multimillionaire, but he still received the photographic portraits without having to pay a cent. Even as President, White House tapes recorded him asking a photographer to take his family portraits for free, saying he was a very poor man living on a weekly paycheck and had a very great deal of financial debt. Johnson was famously frugal. Lyndon Johnson was 6 ft 3 1/2 in (192 cm) tall and weighed about 215 pounds, the second tallest president after Abraham Lincoln at 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) and 180 pounds (82 kg). Marshall was the first African-American to be appointed to the Supreme Court. Thurgood Marshall - 1967
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