Oral history transcript, Lady Bird Johnson, interview 17 (XVII), 9/20/1980, by Michael L. Gillette

Title:

Oral history transcript, Lady Bird Johnson, interview 17 (XVII), 9/20/1980, by Michael L. Gillette

Number of Pages:

35

Description:

LBJ's involvement with the Naval Affairs Committee in 1943 and efforts to stop absenteeism in navy jobs; food rationing in World War II; how life in the United States changed during WWII; attitudes toward military service; German-American constituents in LBJ's congressional district; a birthday party for Sam Rayburn with President Franklin Roosevelt; LBJ's opinion of big business and the Big Inch pipeline; getting the Federal Communications Commission's approval to buy radio station KTBC; the process of buying KTBC; LBJ's assistance to Ernest Kurth of Southland Paper Company; LBJ's contact with friends and businessmen who would update him on Texas issues; the birth of John and Nellie Connally's daughter, Kathleen; the absenteeism "work-or-fight" bill LBJ supported; LBJ's family, where they lived and what they were doing in 1943; train trips between Washington, D.C. and Texas, sometimes with Rayburn; Lady Bird Johnson's extended trip to Austin to organize KTBC's finances and get it running more smoothly; KTBC employee Louise Vine Sneed; KTBC's original location; getting KTBC's finances back in order; hiring Harfield Weedin to manage KTBC: relocating KTBC's office; help from friends like Ed Weisl, Bill Clark, and Paul Bolton; getting approval to become a CBS affiliate; buying equipment and paying salaries; rival radio stations; KTBC programming; staff meetings and correspondence with LBJ while Mrs. Johnson was in Austin; LBJ's business suggestions; LBJ selling war bonds in Texas; LBJ's work in the 10th District in 1943; Mrs. Johnson's teeth; portraits and photos hung in the new KTBC office.

Contributor:

Johnson, Lady Bird, 1912-2007

Collection:

LBJ Library Oral Histories

Collection Description:

Go to List of Holdings

Series:

Transcripts of LBJ Library Oral Histories

See Also:

See all online interviews with Lady Bird Johnson

Relation:

Go to Interviewee bio page

Rights:

Possibly copyright restricted: see deed at end of transcript for details