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Why Is Kennedy So Important To The Presidents Of The 1960's?

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The 1960's were an especially tense time with many protests for equality and the ever imposing possibility of nuclear war. In this tense atmosphere, John F. Kennedy accomplished many victories in his time as president. Some of these accomplishments include working toward better international relationships through the Alliance for progress, working towards equality in law, and working to defuse the Cold War.

One impact from Kennedy's presidency was the improved relationship with Latin America. He came into the presidency when relations were not good: "US relations with Latin America had been deteriorating steadily in the decade before JFK entered the White House." (Alliance for Progress, 1). During his presidency, however, Kennedy made steps to remedy this issue: "Kennedy proposed, through the Agency for International Development and the Alliance for Progress, both launched in 1961, to loan more than $20 billion to Latin American nations that would promote democracy and undertake meaningful social reforms, …show more content…

On June 10, 1963, Kennedy approved the Equal Pay Act of 1963, which "prohibits sex-based wage discrimination between men and women in the same establishment who perform jobs that require substantially equal skill, effort and responsibility under similar working conditions," (The Equal Pay Act, x). It is also said that "Throughout the 1950's, several bills seeking equal pay for women were introduced in Congress, but all failed to move forward."(Equal Pay Act National Park, 4). As you can see, this act was an enormous step towards equality that previously was unaccomplishable. In addition to this, although it did not get approved until after he was assassinated, Kennedy proposed the bill for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Civil Rights Act, 17). This act makes discrimination of protected classes illegal. These were major steps that America took to becoming the nation it is

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In the 1960s the Americans were looking for a President who could fix the issues that Eisenhower had caused. The people of the United States wanted a President that would bring the country together and unite them through an active but productive leadership position. The Democrats introduced a candidate to the United States that they hoped would bring the country the united nation that they had been longing for. John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s campaign promised the American people the “New Frontier.” Kennedy was able to get approval for tariff reductions and wanted to cut taxes so within time he could create prosperity through economic growth.

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The election of Kennedy as president of the United States was the sign of the country's willingness to confront the new phase of Soviet competition with new ideas and young energies. In the early 1960s, the atmosphere of heated debate and criticism of society was compounded by widespread malaise toward Eisenhower's politics. After eight years of Republican rule and despite the new electoral formulas and promises, the methods formulated after World War II proved insufficient. The society demanded new stimuli to face the Soviet challenge with imagination. From this national demand was the Democratic candidate John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

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Kennedy was a strong advocate for civil rights and social justice, and he worked closely with Johnson to push forward progressive reforms. Together, Johnson and Kennedy tackled issues such as poverty, education, and healthcare, enacting programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and the War on Poverty. Despite his achievements in advancing civil rights and social welfare, Lyndon B. Johnson's presidency was also marked by controversy and criticism. The Vietnam War, in particular, overshadowed much of his domestic agenda and ultimately led to his decision not to seek re-election in 1968.

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Kennedy called his domestic program that was known as the New Frontier. A program that was ambitiously promising to give federal funding for education to those with low income, medical care to the elderly so they gotten the best treatment. Even economic aid to people who were living in the rural regions of America as well as government intervention to help halt the recession, it was a period of temporary economic decline for all trade and industrial activities for farms and factories, causing income of profit in America to reduce. Kennedy had also promised an end to racial discrimination toward colored people. He told everyone this deal in his speech at the Democratic Convention, saying that not all problems are won through, just at many problems are not solved.

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John F. Kennedy and his advisers were getting ready for the next presidential campaign. Kennedy had not officially stated that he was going to run for re-election in 1964, but it seemed obvious that he had the plans to run. By the end of September of 1963 he had traveled west, to over nine states to speak in less than a week. The point of this was to try to put an emphasis on conservation and natural resources, and to point out themes, like world peace, national security, and education. He was planning all this for his attempt at re-election in 1964.

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463 Words | 2 Pages

The alliance for progress was a program designed to improve US relations with Latin America. According to the book, “ The US and Latin America”, “ Kennedy stated , would create a new alliance for progress, one that would assist free men and free governments in casting off the

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577 Words | 3 Pages

JFK created the Presidential Commision on the Status of Women, which focused on examining employment policies in regards to women, the need to increase education and counseling for employed women and tax laws that affected the income of women. He also put in place legal representation for women in the workplace. With this commission, Kennedy planned to bring equal rights for women in jobs, child care, and many other areas. The Equal Pay Act was passed in 1963, which banned payment discrimination based on gender. Kennedy was very successful in bringing rights to women.

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1964 Words | 8 Pages

Kennedy was not a talented orator right off the bat. During the early weeks of the 1960 campaign, Kennedy had not yet learned how to properly speak in public or at debates. Reportedly, a strange hoarseness crept into Kennedy's voice. (Communication and Mass Media Complete, 1968) As you can imagine, this was not good for the war-hero image he was cultivating.

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The Johnson administrations foreign policy took a sharp contrast to what the previous presidents were doing in the Cold War front. Although Johnson’s administration would be known for taking the fight to the communist backed North Vietnamese in the mid-1960 ’s it was his foreign policy in Latin America that molded his foreign policy stance. Westad describes that the through the Alliance for Progress the Johnson Administration took an Anti-communist stance in Latin America. In a foreign policy shift from the communist Asian front the Johnson Administration feared of an increase Soviet and Cuban influence in Latin America, the 1961–1969 Alliance for Progress was in principle a Marshall Plan for Latin America (History.state.gov,

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The passage of the Act was and remains a historic moment for the citizens of the United States. It marked a milestone achievement from the very many days’ struggles to extend the political and legal rights to the African American in terms of “the elementary rights to equal citizenship and equal treatment (Risen 93).” The segregation of African Americans was prevalent through the 1950-60s (95), and many black leaders such as Martin Luther King Junior, Roy Wilkins, and Ralph Bunche were in the forefront to fight for the rights of the African Americans (76). The major achievements of the civil rights movements were the two major civil laws that were passed by the Congress although these laws were guaranteed in the United States Constitution after

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President John F. Kennedy had brought a new optimistic idea that could solve the world’s problems and improve the quality of life of all Americans; thus called the New Frontier. His goal was to stand against communist threat, and end disease, poverty, oppression, discrimination, segregation, prejudice, and war. Kennedy’s vision was full of dreams and hopes and it showed Americans that anything was possible, thus giving them the drive to stand for what they wanted. Civil right movements were intensified during this time. Hence, Kennedy’s Administration was known for its foreign policy more than its domestic policies.

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253 Words | 2 Pages

The foreign policy of the John F. Kennedy administration between 1961 and 1963 saw diplomatic and military initiatives in Southeast Asia, the US and other regions amid Cold War tensions. Kennedy’s commitment to the Civil Rights Movement was crucial as it saw the passing of both the Civil Rights Act in 1964 and the Voting Rights Act in 1965(S2). His impact on civil rights is still relevant to this day as in 2009, the American people elected Barack Obama to be the first African-American president of the United States. The Space Race paved the way for developments in technology today(S3). A greater emphasis on maths and physical science was introduced to school systems for future research and developments in technology.

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82 Words | 1 Pages

The Equal Pay Act (EPA) went into effect on June 10, 1963, and President John F. Kennedy was the first to sign it to be used as a lawful document. Basically by the laws of the EPA, it “Prohibits discrimination on account of sex in the payment of wages by employers” (Equal Pay Act of 1963). By definition, it makes pay inequity illegal in all workforces. This way it can abolish segregation performed in jobs that have been claimed to be undervalued.

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988 Words | 4 Pages

One of the first bills he proposed was a new Civil Rights Bill on June 11, 1963 that would help end racism. Kennedy made it clear that all Americans regardless of skin color, should enjoy a good and happy life (Life of John F. Kennedy). Kennedy created the Peace Corps, which still exists today. In the Peace Corps, Americans can volunteer to work anywhere in the world where assistance is needed. Another major issue Kennedy addressed was trying to beat the soviets to space.

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825 Words | 4 Pages

The Kennedy-Johnson years (1961-1969) provided the stimulant for social and economic re-form, but most of their policy initiatives were confounded by domestic strife and foreign policy failure. Discuss. The 1960s heralded a period of both social and economic change as both John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson attempted to continue the legacy of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s ‘New Deal’. However, “competing domestic and foreign policy constituencies” stymied some of their efforts at reform therefore whilst in many cases their policies stimulated reform in later decades much of their energies in the 1960s were focused overseas.

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