After the unprecedented assassination of President John F. Kennedy, our nation was overcome with shock and grief. Vice President Lyndon Baines Johnson was sworn in as the next president hours after this tragic event. Through his leadership, he was the building block that brought the nation together and overcame the death of our beloved late president. Lyndon Johnson, the 36th president, also known as "LBJ", became one of America's most outspoken and controversial leaders. Born on August 27, 1908, in Stowell, Texas, Lyndon Johnson grew up in a financially poor family. He didn't have much, but that never stopped his love for politics and teaching. Early in his professional life, he taught school for the first few years right after graduating from Southwest Texas State Teachers College. After being a teacher for several years, Johnson entered a new era in his life. Lyndon Johnson accompanied Richard M. Kleberg, a man he helped win a seat in the United States House of Representatives, in Washington, D.C., as his secretary for about four years. Years later, he returned to his home state of Texas as director of the National Youth Administration. After two years, in 1937, representing Texas, he was elected to the House of Representatives, while campaigning for the famous Franklin D. Roosevelt. Johnson was a very versatile man who, while extremely involved in politics, also served in the United States Naval Reserve and on June 21, 1940, he was commissioned lieutenant commander. Thanks to this versatility, he became the first member of Congress to volunteer for active duty in the armed forces, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7. A few months later, Johnson actually... middle of paper ......artists, he created the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts. He accomplished much to help increase the well-being of all Americans, regardless of race, religion, or financial status. To this day, Americans still benefit from his dreams for Americans and his determination to make life better for all citizens. Johnson's Foreign Policy - Brief History - History of the Department - Office of the Historian. Np, and Web. November 27, 2013. “Lyndon B. Johnson Biography.” » Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, and Web. December 5, 2013 “Lyndon B. Johnson.” World History: The Modern Era. ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. November 25, 2013. “Biography of President Lyndon B. Johnson.” » Biography of LBJ. LBJ Library Archives Staff, nd Web. Dec 08.. 2013.