Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a civil-rights bill that prohibited discrimination in voting, education, employment, and other areas of American life. To understand why Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 one must understand his background. L.B.J. was born in Texas and his first career was a teacher. In 1937, Johnson won a Texas seat in the United States House of Representatives. In 1948, Johnson was elected to the Senate. When the Democrats took control of the Senate in 1954, Johnson became Majority Leader, the head of the majority party in a legislative party. While Johnson worked in the Senate, he did not support federal civil rights, the rights of citizens to political and social freedom and …show more content…
In 1957, as the Senate Majority Leader, Johnson helped push through a watered-down provision saying that anyone accused of violating the act would get a jury trial. It was likely that any white person accused in the South would be tried by an all-white jury and let go. The cartoon, Stumbling Block, in Document D, by The Chicago Tribune (1964), depicts L.B.J. stumbling over his past 1957 opposition to civil rights bill and falling forward holding a sign that says “President Johnson’s parade leading for civil rights bill”. This cartoon clearly shows his change in support in order to be re-elected, revealing that he signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for …show more content…
Johnson motivated to sign the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for political ambitions, in order to be re-elected, or was he motivated by principle? Based on the documentation provided, Lyndon B. Johnson was motivated to sign the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for politics. Proof of this: he changed his position on civil rights, worked to gain the public’s affection, and opposed civil rights as a Senator. On the other hand, his career in teaching the children that the act would help would motivate him to sign it out of principle. No matter his motivation, the U.S. benefited on July 2nd, 1964 when Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It was a remarkable moment in U.S. history, and it had a huge impact on politics since