1960’s Leaders
John F. Kennedy – President of the U.S.
Was a Representative then a Senator from
Massachusetts.
Elected president in 1960. He was the first
Catholic president. His administration was called
the “New Frontier”.
Pushed for Civil Rights and Voting Rights.
Assassinated Nov. 1963 – Lee Harvey Oswald .
He was assassinated one week later by Jack Ruby.
Malcolm X – Member of the Nation of Islam
Preached “Black Power”. Get your civil rights any
way possible.
Broke with the Nation of Islam in 1964 after a
trip to the Middle East.
He now preached a more peaceful way to get
your civil rights.
Assassinated Feb. 1965 by the Black Muslims who
considered him a traitor to the cause.
Martin Luther King – Leader in the Civil Rights
movement.
Founded the Sothern Christian Leadership
Conference.
Led the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
Organized the Student Nonviolent Coordinating
Committee. (SNCC)
Led marches for civil rights and voting rights.
Assassinated April 1968 James Earl Ray said he
did it and then spent the rest of his life denying
it.
Robert Kennedy – Senator from N.Y.
Brother of JFK and Attorney General of U.S.
While a senator he decided to run for the
presidency in 1968.
RFK was against the Vietnam War.
June of 1968 he won the California primary and
was the front runner for the Democratic
nomination.
Assassinated June 1968 – Sirhan-Sirhan from
Jordan. Did not like Kennedy’s support for Israel.
Lyndon Baines Johnson – Kennedy’s Vice
President.
Becomes President upon Kennedy’s
assassination.
His administration was called “The Great
Society”.
Passed the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act
in 1965.
Ran for the presidency in 1964 against Barry
Goldwater (AZ)
Johnson won 61% of the vote (486-52)
Johnson waged a war on poverty and wanted the
U.S. to become a Great Society.
This is his legislation:
Created Job Corps and VISTA
Medicare and Medicade
Low income housing for poor people
Got $ to schools with low income students
Cleaned up rivers and lakes
Cleaned up auto emissions
Got low interest loans for college
Created PBS and NPR
Johnson’s policies helped the poor in the country.
What hurt his presidency was Vietnam.