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Pres. Johnson receiving his Doctor of Civil Law degree

The "Great Society" SpeechPresident Lyndon Johnson

University of Michigan Commencement, 1964

Barely six months after assuming thepresidency following the assassinationof President John F. Kennedy, LyndonJohnson came to the University ofMichigan to receive an honorarydegree and deliver thecommencement address at the Springgraduation ceremony on May 22,1964. Speaking in Michigan Stadiumto a crowd estimated as large as85,000, Johnson used the occasion todeliver a major domestic policyaddress and outline his vision of a"great society".The President challenged thegraduates:"Your imagination, your initiative, and your indignation will determinewhether we build a society where progress is the servant of ourneeds, or a society where old values and new visions are buried underunbridled growth. For in your time we have the opportunity to movenot only toward the rich society and the powerful society, but upwardto the 'Great Society'".Fourteen years after the speech, Robert Warner, former Director ofthe Michigan Historical Collections (now Bentley Historical Library)published a brief account of the circumstances surrounding theuniversity's invitation to Johnson, the writing of the speech byJohnson's staff, and the speech's contemporary reception andhistorical significance. (The website American Rhetoric rates it #53among the 100 most important political speeches of the 20th Century)WUOM, the university radio station, recorded the speech andphotographers from the University News and Information Servicedocumented the day's events. Follow the links at the left to readWarner's publication, listen to the speech or view a selection ofphotos.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

"Anatomy of Speech"By Robert M. Warner

Listen to the Great Society Speech

Fulltext of theGreat Society Speech

Photo Gallery

Home > Exhibits > Lbj1964

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Banner image from Jasper Cropsey's The University of Michigan Campus, 1855

President Lyndon Johnson, University of Michigan Commencement, 1964, The Great Society Speech Accessed 2/19/2015

http://bentley.umich.edu/exhibits/lbj1964/ 1 / 25

bl012286[UM President Harlan Hatcher greeting Johnson

as he leaves helicopter]

bl012287[UM President Harlan Hatcher greeting Johnson

as he leaves helicopter]

bl012288[President Johnson entering Michigan Stadium

through the tunnel]

bl012289[view of lectern and crowd, security officers]

bl012290[view of television and film camera stand] bl012291

[Gov. George Romney, Pres. Johnson, U-M Pres.Harlan Hatcher]

bl012292[Gov. George Romney, Pres. Johnson, U-M Pres.

Harlan Hatcher]

bl012293[Gov. George Romney, Pres. Johnson, U-M Pres.

Harlan Hatcher]

bl012294[Pres. Johnson receiving honorary degree]

bl012295[Pres. Johnson receiving honorary degree]

bl012296[Pres. Johnson delivering "Great Society"

speech]

Home Exhibits Reference University Records Michigan History Digital Curation Search

Home > Exhibits > Lbj1964

President Lyndon JohnsonUniversity of Michigan Commencement, 1964

"The Great Society" Speech

Lyndon Johnson, Great Society Speech photos Accessed 2/19/2015

http://bentley.umich.edu/exhibits/lbj1964/lbjphoto.php 2 / 25

speech]

bl012301[Pres. Johnson leaving Michigan Stadium]

bl012306[Pres. Johnson walking to helicopter]

bl012305[Pres. Johnson boarding helicopter]

bl012304[Pres. Johnson boarding helicopter]

bl012307[Marine Corps helicopter taking off]

All photos from the News and Information Services (University of Michigan) photo collection. Series C, #409.

1150 Beal Avenue Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2113 U.S.A. | 734.764.3482 | Fax: 734.936.1333 Reference: bentley.ref@umich.edu | Webmaster: bhlwebmaster@umich.edu

Banner image from Jasper Cropsey's The University of Michigan Campus, 1855

Lyndon Johnson, Great Society Speech photos Accessed 2/19/2015

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Accessed 2/19/2015

http://bentley.umich.edu/exhibits/lbj1964/jpegl/bl012286.jpg 4 / 25

Accessed 2/19/2015

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