eas Lady Bird Johnson Texas-born Claudia nickname when a nurst ‘as pretty as a lad and martied Lyndon Johnson, then a congressional aid, in 1934. Even though she 5a shy woman, Lady Bird was a valued advisor and effective campaigner for her husband, who seid that voters “would happily have elected Living History When President Kennedy v assassinated, Vice President lyndon Johnson became president, and Lady Bird became Firs Lady of the United States. In this role, she made many contributions to her husband's agenda, including the launch of Head Start, a project that makes early childhood education children available to al PR ay ir Dire ede \istin, Texas- Per Ce ae Acad (eee tis) Author of A WHITE HOUSE BACKGROUND FOR THE MEMOIR The Assassination of JFK President John F. Kennedy wes a young vibrant, and popular lea elected in 1960. His ass November 22, 1963, was a stunning and unforgettable event. As the news media ted the tragedy, people wept openly ‘A mournful nation agreed Sor, s jer who had nation on, in the street ndon B. Johnson, JFK's su ve suffered a | from A White House Diary 103FRO: “x WHITE Trviday, November 22, 1903 in the morning, the sun Dalla: It all began 50 ‘came out bright Reading Skill | ‘Author's Purpose | car were President and Mrs What does this sub- Secret Service’ car full of men, and then our head tall you about the i me and Senator Ralph ‘Yarborough. author's purpose in this i “phe stroets were lined with people—lots and lots of people— part ofthe diary? the enidren all smiling, placards, confett, people waving from \ it dows, One last happy moment {had was looking Vt and seeing | Mary Griffith leaning out of a window waving at (Mary for trany years had been in charge of altering the clothes whieh I Literary Analysis \ purchased at Neiman-Mareus, Voice “The, almost at the edge of town, on our way to the TP ade What do the details | Mart for the Preskdential luncheon, we were rounding 2 58% about firecrackers tell going down a hill, and suddenly there was a sharp, Toud report you about the writer's ft sounded like a shot. The sound seemed to me to Fone froma attitude toward the putlaing op the right above my shoulder. A moment passed, and s she describes? then two more shots rang out ia rapid succession. There had been area gata air about the day that I thought the noise must °° a igerackers-—part of the celebration. Then the Secret Serve Reading , men were suddenly down in the lead car. Over the car radio system, Cy Check l a our Secret Service man, Rufus What was Lady Bie [heard “Let's get out of he Youngblood, vaulted over the front seat on top of Lyndon. threw him Johnson's last happy to the floor, and said, “Get down.” moment on this dey? i beautifully. After a drizz vind clear. We were driving into Dallas. In the lead Kennedy, John and Nellie Connally! car with Lyndon and is ite, Nelle “Lona and Wente Connally John Connally, then governor of Texas. 290 2 ann ant Ne Gaston ofthe US, Treasury Dopartmant, responsi fer Prnee? il the president. President Kennedy | smiles at the crowd in his last moments President The President, Kennedy and his wife Lady, and Texas Jackie, artive in Dallas, Governor Con through Dal from A White House Diary 105Central Idea What is the central, or most important, idea conveyed so far? The Legacy of JFK At the age of 43, John Fitzgerald Kennedy became joungest president in he White House changed America, x does information about help explain the intense ari most Americans felt at his 106 Fiction and Nonfiction and I ducked our heads. The car accelerated terrifically—faster and faster. Then, suddenly. the brakes were put on so hard that I wondered if we were gotng to make tt as jve whecled left and went around the corner. We pulled up toa pailding, | looked up and saw a sign. “HOSPITAL.” Only then did ve that this might be what it was. Senator Yarborough kept I beliew saying in an excited voice, “Have they shot the President? Have they shot the President?” I said something like, “No, tt can't be.” ind to a halt—we were still the third car—Seeret Service men began to pull, lead, guide, and hustle us out. I east one nilder and saw in the President's car a bundle ck seat. It was Senator Yarborough Aswe gr last look over my sho’ of pink, just like a drift of blossoms, lying on the bac Mrs. Kennedy lying over the President's body. “the Secret Service men rushed us to the right, then to the left, and then onward into a quiet room in the hospital—a very small room, It was lined with white sheets, I believe. People came and went—Kenny O'Donnell the President's top aide, Congressman Homer Thornberry, Congressman Jack Brooks. Always there was Rufe right there and other Secret Service agents—Emory Roberts, Jerry Kivett, Lem Johns, and Woody Taylor. People spoke of ronaut Joh the nation 10 space exploration. Keon / sind me J figeac with Dr. : ‘Manin Luther King eae yori Lee he peo Corpsin 1961 teatmissde, To date, 17,6000 ra in 1965. % 3 ~ IB Kennedy countieshow widespread this might be. There was talk about where we would go—to the plane, to our house, back to Washington. Through it all Lyndon was remarkably calm and quiet. He suggested that the Presidential plane ought to be moved to another part of the field. He spoke of going back out to the plane in unmarked black cars. Every face that came in, you searched for the answer. I think the face I kept seeing the answer on was the face of Kenny O'Donnell, who loved President Kennedy so much. Itwas Lyndon who spoke of it first, although I knew I would not leave without doing it. He said, “You had better try to see Jackie and Nellie." We didn't know what had happened to John. 1 asked the Secret Service if I could be taken to them. They began to lead me up one corridor and down another. Suddenly T found myself face to face with Jackie in a small hallway. I believe it was right outside the operating room. You always think of someone like her as being insulated, protected. She was quite alone. I don’t think ever saw anyone so much alone in my life. I went up to her, pu my arms around her, and said something to her. I'm sure it was something like “God, help us all,” because my feelings for her were too to put into words. ‘And then I went to see Nellie. There it was different, because Nellie and I have gone through so many things together since 1938. T hugged her tight and we both cried and I said, "Nellie, John’s going to be all right.” And Nellie said, “Yes. John’s going to be alll right.” Among her many other fine qualities, she is also strong. T turned and went back to the small white room where Lyndon was. Mac Kilduff, the President's press man on this trip, and Kenny O'Donnell were coming and going, | think it was from Kenny's face that [ first knew the truth and from Kenny's voice that I first heard Y Analyze Media Based on the photos shown below and Mrs, Johnson's account, explain how different types of media can emphasize different aspects of an event, [Analyze] Vocabulary tumultuous (tG0 mul’ choo es) adi greatly disturbed; in an uproar Reading CO) Check’ where were the Johnsons taken after the shots were fired? Spectators drop to the ground moments after shots are fired ai Mourners lay flowers along the stre weeping for their fallen = =iY Analyze Media The central photo below and the first paragraph on page 109 address the same moment, Do you learn different things about that moment from the two texts? [Analyze] Vocabulary implications {im pi k&* shonz) 1 indirect resuits the words “The President is dead.” Mr. Kilduff entered and said to Lyndon, "Mr. President, 5 It was decided that we would go immediately to the airport Hurried plans were made about how we should get to the cars and who was to ride in which car. Our departure from the hospital and approach to the cars was one of the swiftest walks I have ever made We got in. Lyndon told the agents to stop the sirens. We drove along as fast as we could. | looked up at a building and there, already, was a flag at half-mast. | think that was when the enormity of what had happened first struck me. When we got to the field, we entered Air Force One" for the first time. There was a TV set on and the commentator was saying, “Lyndon B. Johnson, now President of the United States.” The news commentator was saying the President had been shot with a 80-30 rifle. The police had a suspect. They were not sure he was the assassin On the plane, all the shades were lowered. We heard that we were going to wait for Mrs. Kennedy and the coffin. There was a telephone call to Washington—I believe to the Attorney General. It was decided that Lyndon should be sworn in here as quickly as possible, because of national and world and because x did not know how widespread this was as to intended victims. Judge Sarah Hughes, a Federal Judge in Dallas—and I am glad it was she— was called and asked to come in a hurry to administer the oath. e 3. Air Force One name of the aplane officially assigned to transport the presi United States. 4. Attorney General chief law officer ofthe nation, head of the U.S. Department of custo: atthe ime, the postion was held by Robert Kennedy, JFK's brother. Vice President Johnson responds to of Kennedy's 108 Fiction and Nonfiction used Lyndon 8. Johnson is sworn in as the thirty- edy is removed sixth US. president from Air Force OneMrs. Kenne¢ "rs. Kennedy had arrived by this time, as had the coffin. There, in the very : inthe very narrow of the plane—with Jackie standing by Lyndon, her hair falling in her fa beside him, Judge th ce but very composed, with me ee cpa des Hughes infront of him, and a cluster of Secret Service people, stall, and Congressmen we had known for along ne around him-—Lyndon took the oath of office Uumont sizes the flashes of deep compassion you fee for people ho are really not atthe center of the tragedy. I heard a Secret nan say in the most voice—and I hurt for him: ‘We never lost 2 ue = lost a President in the Service.” Then, Police Chief of Dallas came on the plane and sald, “Mi 3 Kennedy, believe me, . e did everything we : ything we possibly could” That must have been an gonizing moment for him. x a eu the plane. The casket was in the corridor. I Meare Small private soom to see Ms. Kennedy. and though it waaay ua thing todo, she made a8 easy 28 possible. She seid things ike, “On, Lady Bird, we've hiked you tvo so much tf had not been there, I'm so glad I was there.” Hooked at he . ot eae a her, Mrs, Kennedy's dress was stained with blood vas almost entirely covered withstand her eight glove was That wag a CAked with blood —her husband’ blood. Somehow ceapasae me of the most sights—that woman Tstely dressed and cake in blood ine 84h oe et momne ne in tel change and Feet Oh. no. Pethaps later Til ask Mary Gallagher but not right then with almost an element of fierceness—if a person November Vocabulary confines (kan’ finz) n. boundaries or bounded region; border; limit desolate (des" lt) ad, forlotn; wretched poignant (poin’ yent) adj. emotionally touching immaculate (| mak’ adj, perfectly ty without a flaw, fault, or ervor Reading Skill Author's Purpose What is the writer's purpose in including the comments of th Secret Service man? Reading CJ Check” How did Mrs. Johnson first know that the President was dead? The flag on the House is lowered to half-mas From A White House Dicry 109Literary Analysis Voice What does this p reveal about Mrs. Johnson's attitude ard Mrs. Kennedy? ge The flight to Washington as silent, each sitting with his own thoughts. 110 Fiction and Nonfiction that gentle, that dignified, can be said to have such a quality—she said, "I want them to see what they have done to Jack.” | tried to express how we felt. I said, “Oh, Mrs. Kennedy, you know we never even wanted to be Vice President and now, dear God, it's come to this.” I would have done anything to help her, but there was nothing I could do, so rather quickly I left and went back to the main part of the airplane where everyone was seated. ‘The flight to Washington was silent, each sitting with his ‘own thoughts. One of mine was a recollection of what I had said about Lyndon a long time ago—he's a good man in a tight spot. I remembered one little thing he had said in that hospital room— Tell the children to get a Secret Service man with them Finally we got to Washington, with a cluster of people waiting and many bright lights. The casket went off first, then Mrs. Kennedy, and then we followed. The family had come to join her. Lyndon made a very simple, very brief, and, I think, strong statement to the people there. Only about four sentences. We got in helicopters, dropped him off at the White House, and I came home in a car with Liz Carpenters 5. Liz Carpenter Mrs. nson's press secretary. ) @1. Key Ideas and Details (a) What does Mrs. Kennedy say when ‘Mrs. Johnson offers to find someone to help her change her clothes? (b) Interpret: What does Mrs. Kennedy mean? () Analyze: Why do you think Mrs. Johnson reports this detail? @2. Key Ideas and Details (a) What comment about her husband does Mrs. Johnson recall on the flight back to Washington? (b) Interpret: What character traits does this comment suggest President Johnson possesses? Explain. (€) Support: Which details from the selection show that Mrs. Johnson possesses similar character trait @3. Craft and Structure Evaluate: Do you think Mrs. Johnson effectively expresses what it felt like to live through this historic lent? Explain @4. Integration of Knowledge and Ideas How do the events of November 22, 1963, change what Lady Bird Johnson thinks of as her everyday realty? (Connect to the Big Question: Can truth change?}