Jfk Discrimination

“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country” was one of the first things Kennedy said as a president. He also asked the nations of the world to join together to fight what he called the “common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself.” President Kennedy was leading the country off to a great start. He and his family brought a youthful spirit to the White House that was never seen before. While celebrating American history, culture, and achievement, the Kennedy’s invited writers, artists, scientists, poets, musicians, actors, and athletes to visit them. However, not everything was sunshine and happiness at the White House. Kennedy had many worries concerning the possibility of nuclear war

The US Supreme Court had ruled in 1954 that segregation in public schools would no longer be permitted. However, this law was not obeyed in southern states and there was still plenty of segregation on buses, in movie theatres, restaurants, and other public spaces. Because of this, thousands of Americans of all racial backgrounds came together to protest peacefully. With the key word being “peacefully,” many civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. did not think Kennedy was trying hard enough to end racial discrimination. The President believed that holding public protests would only anger white people more, and the Congress would not want to pass civil rights laws. But on June 11, 1963, Kennedy decided that it was time to take stronger action to help the civil rights struggle. He proposed a new Civil Rights bill to the Congress, and ended up going on television asking Americans to end racism. He made it clear that Americans should live a good and happy life in the United States no matter their skin

According to Marc J. Selverstone, an Associate Professor of History at Miller Center, University of Virginia, he says, “in nation’s popular memory, Kennedy still commands fascination as a compelling, charismatic leader during a period of immense challenge to the American body politic” (Selverstone). This means that while undergoing a lot of stress and pressure, he never gave up fighting for the freedom of Americans. Added to that, Kennedy played a role in revolutionizing American politics. Televised speeches became the norm and had a real impact on voters. Mass media in the late 1950s and early 1960s impacted how we watch the news today and get all of our information from. This is just one of the many ways in which Kennedy shaped how America stands today. He was also critical to the building of America due to his initiative to end racism. Although he did not feel the need to hold public protests at first, Kennedy listened to all kinds of people who wanted to see more of an urgent action take place. Without his constant effort to make equality a priority, who knows where America would be today in terms of racial discrimination. Louis Kyriakoudes, professor of history and director of the university’s Center for Oral History and Cultural Heritage, is an expert on the economic history of the United States. He says, “Kennedy’s economic policy was embodied in this legislative