Helen Kampion

Rollin on Down the Line: Lady Bird Johnson's 1964 Whistle-stop Tour for Civil Rights Helen Kampion

In July 1964 President Lyndon Baines Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act, the law outlawing racial segregation. Not all Americans cheered this legislation. Many Southerners despised it, worrying about what it meant for their way of life. For the November presidential election, President Johnson was advised not to campaign in the South due to the threats of violence since the signing of the new law. But someone needed to visit the South and explain why the new law was good for the entire country. First Lady "Lady Bird" Johnson was from the South and understood its people and customs. Despite threats to her own safety, Lady Bird undertook a four-day train tour to reach out to her fellow Southerners.