The Great Society Congress Digital Exhibit

Between January 1965 and December 1966, the 89th United States Congress enacted the most extensive legislative program since the New Deal. The Voting Rights Act, Immigration and Nationality Act, Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and Social Security Act each were transformative pieces of legislation and cornerstones of President Lyndon Baines Johnson’s far-reaching Great Society agenda. They are also but a few of the many significant laws passed during the 89th Congress’ two sessions.

Utilizing images, government documents, press releases, personal correspondence, and other materials from Association of Centers for the Study of Congress member collections, “The Great Society Congress,” explores the central role that the 89th Congress played in the construction of the Great Society and reveals how some of the most impactful pieces of legislation in American history were debated and shaped.