President Lyndon Johnson’s Great society programs would be the most ambitious in social programs passed, even surpassing the New Deal 30 years prior. The 89th congress would spear-head this effort with some scholars marking it as the most productive legislative session in American history.

The Great Society reforms would see big gains with the civil rights movement. President Johnson would say that not every American is living equally. The south would see many oppressive laws taken away with the lives of African Americans improving considerably.

The War on Poverty along with Education reform would also be examples of the massive reforms made. In the 1960s, 12% of Americans lived under the poverty line which was down from 20%. President Johnson would also sign the Higher Education Act which would allow for more Americans to entire higher education, resulting in more people getting out of poverty.

The famous photo at the top of this post is when Johnson signed Medicare into law with former president Harry Truman. This form of healthcare would be extended to many of the poor and elderly of our nation.

These examples among other reforms would be examples of the Great Society, one of the most forgotten but influential policy programs in American history.