Lyndon Johnson Visit

President Lyndon Johnson brought his campaign against poverty to UT on May 7, 1964. He stopped his motorcade on its way to downtown Knoxville for a scheduled speech at the Civic Coliseum when he encountered a crowd estimated at ten thousand students and others lining Cumberland Avenue in the vicinity of the university center across from a huge orange and white sign: UT Welcomes President Johnson. Johnson emerged from a closed sedan to spend about five minutes shaking hands with students. Johnson and his daughter, Lynda Bird, (she in her stocking feet) then mounted the trunk of a convertible in front of the university center. Governor Frank Clement introduced UT President Andy Holt, who welcomed the two, after which Johnson made a brief speech over an electric megaphone asking that UT students join in the fight against poverty.

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The following information is provided for citations.

  • Title Lyndon Johnson Visit
  • Author
  • Keywords Lyndon Johnson Visit
  • Website Name Volopedia
  • Publisher University of Tennessee Libraries
  • URL
  • Access Date July 23, 2025
  • Original Published Date
  • Date of Last Update October 9, 2018