Freedom's Pragmatist : Lyndon Johnson and Civil Rights

“Ellis paints a portrait of a politician who, like many other politicians, often publicly sailed with the prevailing political winds of the day but who, in private, constantly exhibited a fundamental commitment to fairness and justice. __Freedom’s Pragmatist__ is a provocative and indispensable volume for students, teachers, researchers, and the general public alike in rethinking Johnson’s lifelong relationship with the struggle for African American freedom and equality.”—John A. Kirk, editor of __Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement__ “This comprehensive and balanced study of Lyndon Johnson and civil rights is a major contribution to the field of recent U.S. history. Ellis argues convincingly that Johnson’s moral vision and practical political skills were absolutely crucial to the passage of major legislation advancing the legal rights of African Americans. A splendid analysis.”?Anthony Edmunds, Ball State University Lyndon B. Johnson made several major contributions to the black freedom struggle during his time in the White House. He provided much-needed moral leadership on racial equality; secured the passage of landmark civil rights acts that ended legal segregation and ensured voting rights for blacks; pushed for affirmative action; introduced antipoverty, education, and health programs that benefited all; and made important and symbolic appointments of African Americans to key political positions. This examination of Johnson’s life from childhood through his lengthy career in politics argues that place, historical context, and personal ambition are the keys to understanding his stance on civil rights. Johnson’s viewpoint, in turn, is essential to understanding the history of civil rights in the United States. History has labeled Lyndon B. Johnson'Lincoln's successor.'But how did a southern president representing a predominately conservative state, with connections to some of the nation's leading segregationists, come to play such an influential role in civil rights history? In Freedom's Pragmatist, Sylvia Ellis tracks Johnson's personal and political civil rights journey, from his childhood and early adulthood in Texas to his lengthy career in Congress and the Senate to his time as vice president and president.Once in the White House, and pressured constantly by grassroots civil rights protests, Johnson made a major contribution to the black freedom struggle through his effective use of executive power. He provided much-needed moral leadership on racial equality; secured the passage of landmark civil rights acts that ended legal segregation and ensured voting rights for blacks; pushed for affirmative action; introduced antipoverty, education, and health programs that benefited all; and made important and symbolic appointments of African Americans to key political positions.Freedom's Pragmatist argues that place, historical context, and personal ambition are the keys to understanding Johnson on civil rights. And Johnson is key to understanding the history of civil rights in the United States. Ellis emphasizes Johnson's complex love-hate relationship with the South, his innate compassion for the disadvantaged and dispossessed, and his political instincts and skills that allowed him to know when and how to implement racial change in a divided nation. History has labeled Lyndon B. Johnson ""Lincoln's successor."" But how did a southern president representing a predominately conservative state, with connections to some of the nation's leading segregationists, come to play such an influential role in civil rights history? In Freedom's Pragmatist, Sylvia Ellis tracks Johnson's personal and political civil rights journey, from his childhood and early adulthood in Texas to his lengthy career in Congress and the Senate to his time as vice president and president. Once in the White House, and pressured constantly by grassroots civi An Examination Of Johnson's Personal And Political Journey On Civil Rights, Synthesizing Available Research Into A Concise Study To Focus On His Record On Racial Politics. Formative Experiences: Childhood And Early Career -- Civil Rights In Texas: The House Years -- Civil Rights At The National Level: The Senate Years -- The Road To Damascus: The Vice Presidency, 1960-1963 -- Firing The Presidential Cannons: The White House, 1963-1965 -- The Limits Of Liberalism: The White House, 1965-1968. Sylvia Ellis. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.