how did President Johnson use his administration to assert moral leadership on issues of race and equity?

Answer 1

The Civil Rights legislation of the Mid 60's sure comes to mind. Look up names like Martin Luther King, Ross Barnett.
Black people could not vote, were routinely lynched and terrorized. President Johnson found a way to get civil rights legislation passed and to ensure laws were enforced fairly in the deep south. You would not have enjoyed living in the deep south before then if you were Black.

Answer 2

Johnson worried he'd lose the South for a generation after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Act of 1965. Some southern Democrats were totally against it and filibustered the legislation. He was right because those same Democrats later found comfort in the Republican Party...Southern red states.

Answer 3

This is the significant part of President Johnson's term in office that I remember. I thought he was very progressive in his work to assure equal rights for black people. At the time, it seemed odd because my impression of Texans then was not one of much racial tolerance. I was wrong, of course, since things changed for the better because of the President's enthusiastic support of Martin Luther King and others.

Answer 4

He didn't, if it had been up to him neither the voting rights or civil rights acts would have passed.

Answer 5

I don't know about that but he sure was determined to keep the damn War going.