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John F Kennedy Influence On Jfk Civil Rights

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John F Kennedy Influence On Jfk Civil Rights
The 35th president of the United States, John F. Kennedy, was one of the most influential and respected presidents in history. Kennedy was always a kind person. His endless service to America and the world is awe-inspiring. From the first day in office, he worked tirelessly to “get America moving again” (Friedel). Other countries are in debt to Kennedy and the things that he provided for him. Civil rights activists also have a great deal of gratitude to Kennedy for his support of the movement John F. Kennedy was an amazing president whose work in foreign affairs and civil rights changed the course of history,
John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born May 19th, 1917 in Brookline, Massachusetts; Also called Jack, he was the second of nine spectacular …show more content…
When John F. Kennedy was inaugurated, African Americans still were required to pay poll taxes and take literacy tests, which left most African Americans unable to vote. One of Kennedy’s campaign promises was to do something about the segregation, especially in the South; however, he was hesitant to get involved at first( PBS) . Little by little, he would support the cause and become bolder. Many protests and attacks happened during Kennedy’s time, such as the 16th Street Baptist Church. The 16th Street Baptist Church was bombed on Sept. 16th by members of the Ku Klux Klan, a group of white supremacists who attacked minorities to prove their point. Four young girls lost their lives; two more African American men were shot dead soon after. When two African American students tried to apply to Alabama University, the principal blocked their path, declaring that he will stand against integration. JFK took control of the national guard and escorted them to the university. On August 28th 1963, while Kennedy was in Europe, over two hundred thousand people showed up in Washington D.C to protest segregation and listen to Martin Luther King Jr’s legendary “I Have a Dream” speech. These monumental events pushed Kennedy to take action and write a civil rights bill. After speaking to the American people, he submitted the bill to Congress. Sadly, he was assassinated before the bill could make its trip through …show more content…
Kennedy’s presidency contained some extremely important events. His presidency was full of change, but, in the words of Kennedy, “Time and the world do not stand still. Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past, or the present, are sure to miss the future.” (“Biography”) Change is essential to progress, and Kennedy knew that, which made him a great president. John F. Kennedy changed history with his incredible work in civil rights and foreign
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