Final answer:
President Johnson aimed to reduce poverty through his 'Great Society' program, which included the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 and a range of other initiatives such as VISTA, Job Corps, and Project Head Start. These programs focused on job training, education, healthcare, and direct aid to the poor.
Step-by-step explanation:
President Lyndon B. Johnson's Program to Reduce Poverty
President Lyndon B. Johnson's initiative to alleviate poverty was known as the Great Society. With the battle against poverty being a key focus of this program, Johnson introduced a range of policies and acts designed to tackle different aspects of poverty in America. The 1964 Economic Opportunity Act was a cornerstone of these efforts, allocating nearly $1 billion for a variety of anti-poverty measures, including job training and youth programs. This legislation led to the creation of programs like the Job Corps, Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA), and Project Head Start. Furthermore, the war on poverty sought to address issues in urban development through the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1965, which provided grants for improving city housing and subsidized rents for the poor.
Johnson's Great Society agenda also emphasized education, healthcare with the creation of Medicare, and set higher standards for consumer products. Controversially, it included direct aid to the poor, like food stamps, shifting the responsibility from state and local levels to the federal government. This comprehensive vision was part of Johnson's wider aim to create a society that could eradicate poverty and promote racial justice.