The focus of this paper is on the program authorized in the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. It is noted that the intent of the legislation was to develop strategies for change at the local level by involving local populations in the planning and implementation of programs tailored to meet their social, economic, and educational needs. In Part One of this seven-part paper, the Philosophy of the Program, it is asserted that the anti-poverty program emerged out of a genuine commitment to a philosophy of man that is integral to a democratic society. Programs such as Community Action, Job Corps, Upward Bound, and Head Start are considered to have grown out of the Anti-Poverty Program and were manifestations of a democratic value system that esteems the individual and his potential for contributing to the common good. These programs were directed at aiding the victims of poverty to gain basic mastery of needed skills in order to become economically self sufficient, achieve a sense of self-identity, and to grow in consciousness of social responsibilities. Subsequent parts of the paper focus on social orientation, components of the program, analysis of the methodology used to implement the program, analysis of strengths and weaknesses of the program, suggestions for improvement, and theoretical analysis of the program components. (Author/JM)