A look back at local, national and world events through Deseret News archives.
On Jan. 8, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson, in his State of the Union address, declared an “unconditional war on poverty in America.”
“Poverty is a national problem, requiring improved national organization and support,” Johnson told the members of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, per reports. “But this attack, to be effective, must also be organized at the state and the local level and must be supported and directed by state and local efforts.
His words became part of the many federally supported programs created in the mid-1960s — under the umbrella of the Great Society — to aid the poor, the young, the elderly and the victims of prejudice. They include Medicare and the major civil rights measures, staples of today’s America. Other programs were not popular to taxpayers and opposition leaders.
Now, 61 years later, most would agree American families struggle much like they did in the 1960s. It is estimated the U.S. has spent over $30 trillion on poverty-related issues. Have Americans won battles through the years, but still losing the war?
Here are some stories and perspective pieces from Deseret News archives on LBJ, his declared “war on poverty” and where we go from here:
“My view: America’s war on poverty”
“The case for renewing the war on poverty”
“It seems ‘war’ is over — and poverty won”
“`War’ helped but didn’t cure poverty”
“War on poverty? We won! And we lost”
“John Hoffmire: Winning war on poverty demands shifting focus to fighting unemployment”
“‘Poverty warriors’ of ‘60s push battle”
“John Florez: Poverty is a thriving industry”
“The future of poverty in Joe Biden’s America”
“Tapes show LBJ doubted his abilities”
“Listen: Lyndon B. Johnson had a strong connection with prominent LDS leader”
“Many U.S. presidents had Latter-day Saint ties”
“Don’t dismantle all of the Great Society”
