History of the Series

In 1927, Texas State’s most distinguished alum, Lyndon B. Johnson arrived in San Marcos. His enrollment at the university would set him on a path to presidency, where he would champion legislation that would positively impact generations to come—and it all began here at TXST.

President Johnson’s time at Texas State were formative in building his lifelong commitment to public service and social change through civic responsibility. Immersed in campus life, Johnson would hone his leadership and communication skills as editor of The College Star, president of the Press Club, member of the Pi Sigma Chi fraternity and varsity debate team, and founder of the White Stars, amongst participating in other campus organizations and activities.

During his sophomore year in 1928, Johnson would find himself teaching elementary in Cotulla, Texas. It was this experience that would deeply shape his vision for the future as he witnessed firsthand how poverty created barriers to education. He would later reflect, “It was then that I made up my mind that this nation could never rest while the door to knowledge remained close to any American.”

By the time he graduated in 1930 with a bachelor of science and permanent teaching certificate, Johnson’s unshakable belief in the transformative power of education was fully formed. The lessons he learned and experiences he had at Texas State would become the driving force behind his Great Society initiatives, shaping policies that would greatly uplift Americans.