The Cabinet

According to the United States Government Manual, "the Cabinet, a creation of custom and tradition dating back to George Washington's administration, functions at the pleasure of the President. Its purpose is to advise the President upon any subject, relating to the duties of the respective offices, on which he requests information (pursuant to Article II, section 2, of the Constitution)."

 

Members of the Cabinet include the vice president and the president-appointed heads of each executive department. It is typical for members of the Cabinet to resign when a new president takes office. However, when President Johnson assumed office in 1963 after President Kennedy's assassination, he asked the existing Cabinet to stay in order to ensure a smooth transition.

Download full list of Cabinet members

Secretary of State

Candid photo of Dean Rusk

Dean Rusk

Secretary of State

(D-NY)

Jan. 20, 1961-Jan. 20, 1969

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Secretary of the Treasury

C. Douglas Dillon stands next to President Johnson as the president gives remarks from a podium.

C. Douglas Dillon

Secretary of the Treasury

(R-Wash., D.C.)

Jan. 20, 1961-March 31, 1965

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Henry H. Fowler speaking

Henry H. Fowler

Secretary of the Treasury

(D-VA)

April 1, 1965-Dec. 20, 1968

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Joseph W. Barr

Joseph W. Barr

Secretary of the Treasury

(D-IN)

Dec. 20, 1968-Jan. 20, 1969

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Secretary of Defense

Robert S. McNamara speaking

Robert S. McNamara

Secretary of Defense

(R-MI)

Jan. 20, 1961-Feb. 29, 1968

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Clark M. Clifford speaks at a podium

Clark M. Clifford

Secretary of Defense

(D-MD)

March 1, 1968-Jan. 20, 1969

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Attorney General

Robert Kennedy sits pensively with his hand on his face

Robert F. Kennedy

Attorney General

(D-MA) 

Jan. 20, 1961-Sept. 3, 1964

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Nicholas Katzenbach speaks with President Johnson

Nicholas deBelleville Katzenbach

Attorney General

(D-Wash., D.C.)

Sept. 3, 1964-Sept. 21, 1966

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Ramsey Clark

William Ramsey Clark

Attorney General

(D-TX)

Sept. 21, 1966-Jan. 20,1969

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Postmaster General

Lady Bird Johnson presents award for work in outdoor beautification to unidentified postmaster. Postmaster General John Gronouski looks on at center frame.

John A. Gronouski

Postmaster General

(D-WI)

Sept. 24, 1963-Sept. 10, 1965

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Lawrence O'Brien sits at a table during a meeting.

Lawrence F. O'Brien

Postmaster General

(D-MA)

Sept. 10, 1965-April 10, 1968

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Portrait of Marvin Watson

W. Marvin Watson

Postmaster General

(D-TX)

April 10, 1968-Jan. 20, 1969

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Secretary of the Interior

Close up of Sec. Stewart Udall in a meeting with President Johnson (out of frame) in the Oval Office

Stewart L. Udall

Secretary of the Interior

(D-AZ)

Jan. 20, 1961-Jan. 20, 1969

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Secretary of Agriculture

Tight shot of Orville L. Freeman speaking during a meeting

Orville L. Freeman

Secretary of Agriculture

(D-MN)

Jan. 20, 1961-Jan. 20, 1969

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Secretary of Commerce

Luther Hodges and President Johnson in the Oval Office

Luther H. Hodges

Secretary of Commerce

(D-NC)

Jan. 20, 1961-Jan. 15, 1965

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Sec. John Connor on the telephone the day of the impending Steel Strike.

John T. Connor

Secretary of Commerce

(D-NJ)

Jan. 15, 1965-Feb. 1, 1967

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Alexander B. Trowbridge makes remarks from a podium.

Alexander B. Trowbridge

Secretary of Commerce

(D-Wash., D.C.)

Feb. 1, 1967-March 1, 1968

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C.R. Smith

C.R. Smith

Secretary of Commerce

(D-NY)

March 1, 1968-Jan. 20, 1969

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Secretary of Labor

Sec. Willard Wirtz sits in a Cabinet meeting

W. Willard Wirtz

Secretary of Labor

(D-IL)

Sept. 25, 1962-Jan. 20, 1969

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Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare

Tight shot of Anthony J. Celebrezze walking besides President Johnson (out of frame) at the LBJ ranch

Anthony J. Celebrezze

Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare

(D-OH)

July 31, 1962-Aug. 19, 1965

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John W. Gardner sitting, hands open in front of him

John W. Gardner

Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare

(R-NY)

Aug. 19, 1965-March 1, 1968

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Sec. Wilbur Cohen, President Lyndon Baines Johnson

Wilbur J. Cohen

Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare

(D-MD)

March 1, 1968-Jan. 20, 1969

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Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

Robert C. Weaver

Robert C. Weaver

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

(D-Wash., D.C.)

Jan. 17, 1966-Jan. 1, 1969

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Robert C. Wood stands besides other Cabinet members while President Johnson speaks to them in the Cabinet room.

Robert C. Wood

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

(D-MA)

Jan. 2, 1969-Jan. 20, 1969

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Secretary of Transportation

Sec. Alan S. Boyd, seated at table, speaking and gesturing with his right hand.

Alan S. Boyd

Secretary of Transportation

(D-FL)

Jan. 12, 1967-Jan. 20, 1969

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U.S. Representative to the United Nations

Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson sits behind microphones as Speaker Sam Rayburn, Adlai Stevenson look on

Adlai E. Stevenson II

U.S. Representative to the United Nations

(D-IL)

Jan. 20, 1961-July 14, 1965

Died in office

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Arthur J. Goldberg

Arthur J. Goldberg

U.S. Representative to the United Nations

(D-IL)

July 20, 1965-June 21, 1968

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George W. Ball

George W. Ball

U.S. Representative to the United Nations

(D-IL)

June 24, 1968-Sept. 25, 1968

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James Russell Wiggins

James Russell Wiggins

U.S. Representative to the United Nations

(D-Wash., D.C.)

Oct. 4, 1968-Jan. 20, 1969

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Lbj On a fence Sepia

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