Kennedy supported racial integration and civil rights through his speeches. On March 6, 1961, he signed Executive Order 10925 which required government contractors to take affirmative action to ensure all employees are treated equally irrespective of their race, creed, color, or national origin.
What goals did Kennedy accomplish?
In an address to Congress on May 25, 1961, the President challenged the nation to “commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon.” Despite lagging behind the Soviets, Kennedy envisioned an American victory in the space race.
What did JFK fight for?
Kennedy defined the civil rights crisis as moral, as well as constitutional and legal. He announced that major civil rights legislation would be submitted to the Congress to guarantee equal access to public facilities, to end segregation in education, and to provide federal protection of the right to vote.
What did JFK promise America?
On October 27, Kennedy’s agreement was made public, and the crisis ended. Not made public, but nevertheless part of the agreement, was Kennedy’s promise to remove U.S. warheads from Turkey, as close to Soviet targets as the Cuban missiles had been to American ones.
What were JFK campaign promises?
He promised to respect the separation of church and state, and not to allow Catholic officials to dictate public policy to him. Kennedy also raised the question of whether one-quarter of Americans were relegated to second-class citizenship just because they were Roman Catholic.
Why did Kennedy want to go to the moon?
As President Kennedy’s speech at Rice University suggests, the decision to go to the Moon and the space program were motivated, in part, by the Cold War tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union.
What was the purpose of JFK’s moon speech?
Logsdon pointed out that the speech wasn’t just to rally and inspire the nation to reach for the Moon. It was to explain to the American people why the Apollo program needed to be a high priority, which would allow for a “boost” in funds.
Did JFK support Martin Luther King?
During the 1960 presidential campaign, Kennedy interceded when King was convicted for a probation violation after participating in a sit-in in Atlanta. Following the recommendations of campaign advisors, Kennedy called Coretta Scott King to offer his sympathy and his brother, Robert F.
When did JFK propose the Civil Rights Act?
June 11, 1963
On June 11, 1963, President John F. Kennedy gave a televised address to the American people and announced that he would be sending a civil rights bill to Congress. His bill would become the most-far reaching act of legislation supporting racial equality in American history.
What bills did JFK pass?
Though initially reluctant to pursue civil rights legislation, in 1963 Kennedy proposed a major civil rights bill that ultimately became the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The economy experienced steady growth, low inflation and a drop in unemployment rates during Kennedy’s tenure.
How did JFK help poverty?
To help the unemployed, Kennedy broadened the distribution of surplus food, created a “pilot” Food Stamp program for poor Americans, directed that preference be given to distressed areas in defense contracts, and expanded the services of U.S. Employment Offices.
What was one of the main points of President Kennedy’s inaugural speech?
The main focus of the speech can crudely be boiled down to one theme—the relationship between duty and power. This is emphasized by Kennedy’s strong use of juxtaposition in the first part of the speech.
What was Kennedy’s goal in establishing the Alliance for Progress?
President Kennedy was determined to improve relations with Latin America through peaceful economic cooperation and development—which would also inhibit the rise of communist-leaning insurgents such as Cuba’s Fidel Castro.
What did JFK say about space?
I do not say the we should or will go unprotected against the hostile misuse of space any more than we go unprotected against the hostile use of land or sea, but I do say that space can be explored and mastered without feeding the fires of war, without repeating the mistakes that man has made in extending his writ
Who is first man on moon?
Neil Armstrong on the Moon
At 02:56 GMT on 21 July 1969, Armstrong became the first person to step onto the Moon. He was joined by Aldrin 19 minutes later.
Who wrote JFK moon speech?
Kennedy also viewed Friendship 7, the Mercury spacecraft in which Glenn had made America’s first orbital flight. He took advantage of the opportunity to deliver a speech to drum up support for the nation’s space effort. Initial drafts of the speech were written by Ted Sorensen, with changes by Kennedy.
Why did Kennedy compare space to the ocean?
The metaphor clarifies how vast space is when compared to the ocean. The metaphor emphasizes the expectation of serenity and peace at the destination. The metaphor presents the idea of space travel as an adventurous journey of discovery.
Who decided to go to the Moon?
In April 1961, President John F. Kennedy had energized America’s space program by pledging to send “a man to the moon and [return] him safely to the Earth” before the end of the 1960s.
How did President Kennedy react to the Freedom Riders?
And I had never been knocked unconscious before.” “The Kennedys saw the Freedom Rides as really a no-win situation for them politically.” On May 21, 1961, Robert Kennedy sent federal marshals to protect the Freedom Riders during a siege in Montgomery, Ala. But even armed marshals couldn’t stop the violence.
Who started the civil rights movement?
The civil rights movement was a struggle for justice and equality for African Americans that took place mainly in the 1950s and 1960s. It was led by people like Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, the Little Rock Nine and many others.
What did King accuse Kennedy and his administration of?
A day after desegregated interstate travel came into effect, King sent Kennedy a formal complaint accusing the Justice Department of not enforcing the Interstate Commerce Commission ruling after four students in Atlanta were arrested for seeking to use bus terminals on an integrated basis.
