Lyndon B. Johnson Inauguration

White button with photograph of Lyndon Johnson wearing cowboy hat and suit.  Black text along bottom border of the button.  Orange and white ribbon with white text.

The day after John F. Kennedy's assassination on November 22, 1963, Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as president. Johnson is one of the only four Americans to serve in all four federally elected offices: Representative, Senator, Vice President, and President. Prior to succeeding Kennedy, Johnson served as a Texas Representative from 1937 to 1949, and then Senator from 1949 to 1961. His term as Senator included six years as Senate majority leader. 

The button pictured above was presumably made for attendees of Johnson's 1965 inauguration. Although Johnson is most known for his escalation of the Vietnam War, he also designed and implemented much of the "Great Society"—legislation that sought to ameliorate poverty, bolster civil rights, and protect the environment. With widespread protests in opposition to the Vietnam War capturing headlines daily by 1968, Johnson ended his campaign for another term once results came back of his poor performance in the New Hampshire primary. Nixon went on to win the 1968 general election.

Johnson died at the age of 64 in January, 1973 after suffering a major heart attack.