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