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Speech excerpts from JFK.

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Was JFK a great man of the civil rights movement, or did he
follow popular opinion?

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Was JFK a great man of the civil rights movement, or did he
follow popular opinion?

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Whilst Kennedy was president, he was seen to be a great force pressing for the development of Civil Rights in America, however, the passing of the Civil Rights act was largely due to the March on Washington, showing the government how much public support there was for the act. At first, Kennedy opposed the Civil Rights Act as he believed it would affect his chance for presidency but he later changed his mind, possibly because he saw an opportunity to gain popularity amongst the "black" population, therefore gaining votes. The speech Kennedy made on the 11th of June 1963 introduced the idea of a Civil Rights Act to the public and his consistent support afterwards for the development of Civil Rights encourage his followers to shift their views.

-Whilst Kennedy was not the most powerful man of the civil rights movement, he did have an effect on the public and, in the end, the Civil Rights Act he had drafted was passed to honour him.

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Kennedy had promised in his campaign speeches that he would put in place the civil rights legislation if he was elected. However in 1961 Kennedy still had not done anything to push through the legislation as he saw that the American society were not focused on the movement of civil rights for African Americans

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MLK commented on JFKs speech on the 12th of June 1963, announcing the plan for the Civil Rights Act. He said that it was ‘‘one of the most eloquent, profound and unequivocal pleas for justice and the freedom of all men ever made by any president’’

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The Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964. It aimed to end discrimination, mainly based on race, colour or cultural background. JFK initially put forward a proposed civil rights act in 1963 but the government did not support it and so it did not progress. Kennedy was assassinated before he could pass the act but President Johnson, using his connections with southern white congressional leaders and the outpouring of emotion after the president's assassination, passed the Civil Rights Act as a way to honor President Kennedy.

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What Kennedy Did To Advance the Cause of Civil Rights 

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What Kennedy Did To Advance the Cause of Civil Rights 

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- Put pressure on the Federal Government, and other organisations to employ more African Americans

- Used already passed Civil Rights Legislation to improve the situation for African Americans. E.g. Law suits against local officials for obstructing African Americans from voting, and against officials who refused to fund newly desegregated schools

- Submitted a civil rights bill to congress in 1963. Whilst this was not passed, it did create a basis on which Johnson could later develop the Civil Rights Act

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February 1963 Kennedy submits civil rights bill to Congress, in which he did not address integration of public facilities.

But because he did not pressure the government enough, it was not passed.

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"This nation, for all its hopes and all its boasts, will not be fully free until all its citizens are free’’

“I hope that every American, regardless of where he lives, will stop and examine his conscience about this and other related incidents. This nation was founded by men of many nations and backgrounds. It was founded on the principle that all men are created equal, and that the rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened.”

“This is not a matter on which you can take the temperature every week or two… you must make a judgment about the movement of a great historical event which is taking place in this country… Change always disturbs.”

“Today, we are committed to a worldwide struggle to promote and protect the rights of all who wish to be free. … It ought to to be possible, in short, for every American to enjoy the privileges of being American without regard to his race or his color.”

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June 11, 1963,  Governor George Wallace made his “stand in the
school room door” to prevent two black students from attending the University of
Alabama

After this, President Kennedy addressed the nation asking for support of the civil rights bill.

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Kennedy originally voted against Eisenhower’s 1957 civil rights act.

Suddenly Kennedy changed his views and decided to support the civil rights act. Speculations have circled saying that Kennedy only changed his views because he felt he needed the 'Black vote' to win the next election against Nixon.