Community Capital By Alex Hall, Chrissy Gress, Sarah Grothouse, and Pete Mattingly

Definition Community Capital- good will or deeds, which assist in building trust between diverse groups within a community.

Historical Example Lyndon B. Johnson was very influential in the fight for equal rights for people of all different race. Lyndon B. Johnson continually used his influence and power to try to put an end to segregation. He pushed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 through the house and senate. Which was monumental in the fight for equal rights for all Americans.

Historical Example Cont. Johnson also came up with the Great Society Programs. The two main goals of the Great Society Plan were the elimination of poverty and of racial injustice. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 gave the right to vote to thousands of southern blacks who were not allowed to vote because of their inability to read. Now all the southern blacks who had been oppressed for so long had a say in the national government.

Lyndon B. Johnson the Philanthropist Lyndon Baines Johnson grew up learning that all people were created equally no matter the race. When Johnson became president suddenly after the assassination of JFK he finally had his opportunity to give equal rights for all Americans. Johnson’s actions were some of the most monumental in American history because he finally got rid of the injustice towards to all people of different race.

Importance in a Democracy In a Democracy there is no one person who can run the government on their own. So the people of the government need to be able to work together. By doing good works for the community the people of the government establish a certain amount of trust that is needed to be productive in a government.

Student Letter Dear Cathedral students, I am pleased to hear that our youth is taking an interest in my efforts with community capital. I would consider myself a philanthropist because of my works of social reform such as, the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, and the Great Society Programs. I feel my greatest accomplishment was the Civil Rights Act because it spread equality throughout the country. My desire for equal rights has come from my Christian background, inspiration from my father’s political career, and previous job as an elementary school teacher at Mexican American segregated school. I passed the Civil Rights Act in 1964 which outlawed cruel discrimination in communities, allowed incorporation between whites and blacks in schools, restaurants, and other public places, and made it illegal to discriminate in the employment process. Through this act, I was attempting to build trust and community capitol between diverse groups. Although it is not an overnight process, the long term effects are what made this act prominent.

Student Letter (continued) Since the act was passed, discrimination has not a deciding factor in work places and schools people of all backgrounds have an equal opportunity for success. During my time as president, a set of domestic programs, called the Great Society Programs, were implemented. The two main goals for these social reforms were the elimination of poverty and racial injustice. New programs which addressed education, medical care, urban problems, and transportation were also launched during this period. The Great Society social reforms are still performed through soup kitchens, donated clothing centers, men and women’s refugee houses, toy drives, and various charities. Thank you for taking interest in one of our society’s greatest reforms and I hope you continue your endeavors with community capital.

Key Points Lyndon B. Johnson was a philanthropist who helped pass Acts which encourage community capitol. The Civil Rights Act outlawed cruel discrimination in communities, allowed incorporation between whites and blacks in schools, restaurants, and other public places and made it illegal to discriminate in the employment process. The Great Society Programs aided in the effort to eliminate poverty and racial injustice with soup kitchens, donated clothing centers, men and women’s refugee houses, toy drives, and various charities.