Let Us Begin

On this day in 1964 – President Lyndon B. Johnson declares a "War on Poverty" in the United States.

Johnson, a Roosevelt "New Dealer," envisioned a Great Society that would be sparked by local activists and initiatives, especially young adults who would be activated in cities through programs such as VISTA.

In fact, the legacy of the war on poverty policy initiative remains in the continued existence of such federal programs as Head Start, Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA), TRiO, and Job Corps.

That being said, most of what remains and was implemented were simply programs that might be considered bandages, many of which were eliminated during the Clinton administration through the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996, which President Bill Clinton claimed "ended welfare as we know it."

The truth is that Johnson's most profound Great Society initiatives were never fully implemented because of the escalation of the War in Vietnam which robbed him of his legacy and meant that his vision could never be fully tested.

Let Us Begin!