John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address

John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917, to November 22, 1963), the 35th president of the US, brought a visionary charisma and a new sense of energy and optimism to the presidency. Often referred to by his initials, JFK, he is remembered for his idealistic and dynamic approach to both foreign and domestic problems, which during the 1960 campaign he promoted via the slogan “The New Frontier.”

Elected as a candidate of the Democratic Party, Kennedy was the son of a wealthy financier and US ambassador to England. Kennedy was decorated for heroism in World War II and received the Pulitzer Prize for his 1957 book Profiles in Courage. His marriage to the glamorous debutante Jacqueline Bouvier and color photographs of his large extended family yachting or playing touch football gave his life a seemingly charmed quality. Early biographers called his thousand days in the White House “Camelot,” an allusion to the golden age of mythical King Arthur’s Britain.

Historians of the Kennedy administration have emphasized his leadership during the most perilous years of the Cold War, his commitment to civil rights, and his expansive vision of American destiny. The first president born in the 20th century, he positioned himself in his inaugural address as the representative of a new generation of leaders, focused on creating a more vigorous, dynamic, and idealistic America, reflecting qualities often more associated with youth than age.

Among the achievements of his term in office are the signing of the Nuclear Test Ban treaty; the creation of the Peace Corps; a 10-year plan for cooperation with Latin America, the “Alliance for Progress”; and the setting of specific goals for the space program, which led to Congress allocating the necessary funds.

Kennedy’s intense idealism has invited biographers to ask whether he lived up to the standards expressed in his inaugural address. He worked to promote civil rights and equality, and he brought people from different backgrounds and communities into his government, showing a sensitivity to minority issues that some have attributed to his being the first Catholic president in a primarily Protestant nation. In addition, he worked to reduce tensions with the Soviet Union and showed steady leadership during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, in which he forced the Soviets to withdraw nuclear-capable missiles just 90 miles from American soil.

However, Kennedy did not unify the country to the extent required to push his agenda through Congress. He faced significant opposition from Republicans, and his attempts to introduce ambitious legislation met resistance. His administration saw its share of political controversies, including the failed 1961 invasion of Cuba by CIA operatives at the Bay of Pigs.

Although he is considered to have been a strong and inspiring leader, critics have pointed to areas where they feel Kennedy should have acted differently. Some criticize him for introducing 16,000 American soldiers into South Vietnam. Others say that he should have done more to address racial inequality.

Nevertheless, the vision that Kennedy outlined in his inaugural address has endured beyond his era. The major legislation he proposed, such as Medicare, civil rights, and anti-poverty bills, became law under his successor, Lyndon B. Johnson. In that respect, Kennedy’s greatest influence came after his death. He remains one of the most admired presidents of the 20th century.