What evidence does LBJ offer as proof of the widening economic gap between black and white Americans? How does he explain this gap?

During the Election of 1964, Lyndon B. Johnson proposed The Great Society to mend the economic gap between the black and white. His eyes were opened to the invisible poor by Michael Harrington's The Other America which exposed the other side of America, instead of prosperous, ideal American dream that is often portrayed throughout the world.

There was government assistance for the "deserving" but there was nothing being done about the poor. Because of Harrington's book, the injustice of the publicized and LBJ was left with nothing else to do than make some changes about it, especially to gain support throughout the election.

He actually took action and decreased the gap throughout governmental institutions such as welfare, medicare and medicaid. He knew that mainly minorities were affected by the widespread poverty throughout the United States, but with the African Americans being affected the most because of "past injustices and present prejudices".
The gap was not only economical, but throughout education, job opportunities, benefits received and public segregation and moral. There was an increasing gap in the unemployment rate between the black and the white. The African Americans weren't receiving the equality promised throughout.

The cartoon shows the slavery that they bound to for many different years. Then how they were squashed to the ground by the very confident, "deserving", whites throughout. Then the whites apologize for the racism, for making the African Americans feel unwanted, undeserving, but don't offer to lift them up because it would be "reverse racism". This cartoon is attacking the whites for being so cynical about LBJ's new Great Society policy of Affirmative Action, which gave the blacks the advantage for once over the whites. It is as though the whites are saying that it is OK for them to have pushed down and taken advantage of the blacks for so many years because they apologized, but if they were to make them equal it would be as though they were the victims because they wouldn't have the power of them anymore.

LBJ's idea of the Great Society definitely contributed to the Civil Rights Movement and created jobs and much more opportunity for the black community.