The Legacy of John F. Kennedy

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Our Fellow American
The late president John Fitzgerald Kennedy once said, “Sure it's a big job; but I don't know anyone who can do it better than I can” (“John F. Kennedy” BrainyQuote.com). Kennedy was a young and fresh political figure at the time of his election in 1960. The thirty-fifth president of the United States was born May 29, 1917, in Brookline, Massachusetts. He was the youngest president ever, as well as the first and only Roman Catholic president (Bass, et al.). His presidency was shortened by an assassin on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas. Kennedy preceded his presidency with a term in the U.S. House of Representatives (1947-1953) and a term in the U.S. Senate (1953-1961) (“John F. Kennedy” History.com). Kennedy, a charismatic and energetic leader, was loved by the American people. He had many plans for his time in office, some of which he was able to personally achieve, while others were left to his vice-president, Lyndon B. Johnson. Although his life was tragically cut short, John F. Kennedy left an indelible mark on the United States of America in and out of the oval office.
The 1960s were a period full of discord and social upheaval. Civil rights, the Cold War, and other issues awaited the man deemed worthy of taking on the presidency. After being elected, JFK, with the help of his vice president, Lyndon B. Johnson, immediately went to work on these and many other issues plaguing the United States at the time (Bass, et al).
Although Kennedy is often credited for the passage of the Civil Rights Act, it was made law largely because of Johnson (Bass, et al). The Civil Rights Act was passed after Kennedy’s death, but not because Kennedy was not an ardent supporter of its principles. Warren Kozak of th...

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...t of the Peace Corps." State Department Auditorium, Washington D.C. 1 Mar. 1961. Speech.
Kennedy, John F. "Special Message to Congress on Urgent National Needs." Capitol Building, Washington D.C. 25 May 1961. Speech.
Kozak, Warren. "The 24 Hours That Rocked U.S. Race Relations." Wall Street Journal. 11 Jun 2013: A.15. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 12 Nov 2013.
Naylor, Brian. "How Kennedy's Assassination Changed The Secret Service." NPR. NPR, 7 Nov. 2013. Web. 18 Nov. 2013.
Schmitt, Mark. "50 Years Later, What JFK Can Teach Us About Expertise in Government | Next New Deal." 50 Years Later, What JFK Can Teach Us About Expertise in Government | Next New Deal. N.p., 14 June 2012. Web. 12 Nov. 2013.
Voyles, Bennet. "Fifty Years after John F Kennedy's Assassination, Culture of Political Celebrity Is Almost over." The Economic Times. N.p., 17 Nov. 2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.

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