The main academic building of the NTID complex was named to honor former U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Public law 89-36, signed by President Johnson on June 8, 1965, created a National Advisory Group to establish an institute for college level technical training of deaf students connected with an existing university. This law became known as the National Technical Institute of the Deaf Act.

President Johnson's wife, Lady Bird Johnson, visited NTID for the dedication and the naming of the building in October of 1974.