Table of Contents
Foreword 1
Introduction 4
World Map 8
Chapter 1 Historical Background on the Great Society
1 Lyndon B. Johnson's Great Society Gale Encyclopedia of US Economic History 11
2 LBJ Describes His Vision for a Better America Lyndon B. Johnson 18
3 Federal Food Assistance to Millions of Americans Grows from a Small Pilot Program
4 LBJ Melts Some Butter to Provide More Guns Hobart Rowen 35
Chapter 2 Controversies Surrounding Great Society programs
1 Despite Missteps, the Great Society Helped Americans Bill Mayers 43
2 Intrusive Great Society Programs Hurt the US Economy and Its People Ronald Reagan 51
3 Great Society Programs Are Fiscally and Morally Irresponsible Robert W. Patterson 61
4 A Defense of Great Society Programs Must Account for Demographic Changes Henry J. Aaron 7
5 The Economic Opportunity Act Built the Infrastructure for Social Service Nonprofits Rick Cohen 83
6 Great Society Programs Transformed the Demographics of Higher Education Thomas Brock 9
7 Despite Partisan Attacks, Americans Value the Cultural Endowments Established by the Great Society Cynthia Koch 10
8 Head Start Was Based on the Belief That Early Education Can Eradicate Poverty Barbara T. Bowman 117
9 Fifty Years Later, Progress on Building a Great Society Continues Barack Obama 124
Chapter 3 Personal Narratives
1 A College Student and VISTA Volunteer Helps Communities in Arkansas Linda Kelly Alkana 135
2 A Writer Reflects on the Effects of the War on Poverty on the Ozarks Doris Weatherford 141
3 An African American Man Discusses His Inability to Vote Prior to the Voting Rights Act Hosea Guice 145
4 The First Director of Head Start Recalls the Program's Origins Julius Richmond Michael L. Gillette 154
5 The First African American Cabinet Member Reminisces About the Origins of HUD Joseph Foote 164
Chronology 170
For Further Reading 175
Index 178