Civil Rights Movement And Jfk

Introduction

President John F. Kennedy was elected into office in the fall of 1960. The youngest president ever elected in the United States, a title he still holds, was voted into office on the promises of domestic reform, and communist containment. One of the most beloved presidents in US history, John Kennedy was shot and killed in November 1963. His actions in the civil rights movement are seen by many to have helped push the African-American cause to a new level. However, many historians look back somewhat critically on President Kennedy's actions now, and see them as somewhat lackluster. When assessing his record on civil rights, and then measuring his purported importance in the matter, one may come to the conclusion that the two do not match. This paper is meant to look into the actions of the 35th President in regards to the civil rights movement, and assess the job that he did. Was he truly a champion of civil rights, or has his record been helped by the undying love this country has for their fallen leader?

Along with uncovering the truths in the history of the matter, this paper will also attempt to delve into the political issues. It is extremely important to understand that no matter what President Kennedy wanted to do, whether positive or negative, he had to deal with a divided Congress, and a divided nation for that matter. He was put into the compromising position of having to appease party members, as well as citizens of the North and South, black or white. The 1960's were a time of change and revolution in the United States, and the White House was another figure in the revolution. As carefully as can be done, this paper will attempt to uncover the truths on what was held back by Kennedy for political reasons, and what was pushed to the forefront for political reasons.

Finally this paper will discuss what happened after Kennedy's assassination. Did the black society struggle without the presence of Kennedy in office or was there another opportunity to improve our country after his death? The candidacy of his brother Robert Kennedy brings to light those questions and also adds whether or not President Kennedy could of done more in office.

Civil Rights and the 1960 Campaign

Many politicians make promises, and never end up keeping them. That is not to say that President Kennedy necessarily did this, but he treaded a fine line. Previous to the campaign, President Kennedy had a track record that could be described as 'fishy' at best. In 1957, President Eisenhower drafted a Civil Rights bill which then Senator Kennedy had been notably absent for. He never commented on which way he would have voted on the bill, but his abstinence from the vote was questionable. Popular theory is that President Kennedy chose to miss the vote in fear of being pushed back in the Democratic Party.

When his campaign started in 1960, President Kennedy was at first hesitant to speak on the issue of Civil Rights. As the election grew closer, it is deemed by many that, Kennedy chose to speak on the subject in order to increase his chances of winning the black vote. He began making speeches promising urban housing improvements, enforcement of the desegregation rulings, all with the stroke of his ballpoint pen. He considered it a, "...priority, and the first thing I shall do in office." Speeches were made at black churches in the North as late as the weekend before the election. Kennedy's opponent, Richard Nixon, actually had a solid track record of civil rights activism, however Nixon chose to play this down in his attempt to win over the solid Democratic South. Politics were playing an important role as to the future of the civil rights movement.

Despite using civil rights as a campaign tool, Kennedy still managed to win the election and was still favored in the South. The fact that he still held onto his popularity in the South was quite impressive, and this would prove important later on when he would have to appease Southern interests at times.

Once taking office, President Kennedy's promises were brushed to the side. He did not address the problems of segregation and civil rights again until 2 years into his term. The years 1961 and 1962 saw relatively no action coming down from the White House. The NAACP actually began a letter writing campaign towards the end of 1962, sending the President thousands of ballpoint pens, waiting for that elusive stroke. The promises of urban housing developments were pushed back further and further in Congress, to the point that the finished product was nothing from the promise. The final product was a bill that was only applied to federal housing projects, and did little to improve the lot of African-Americans.

This is not to say that President Kennedy did nothing at all. His 1963 televised speech on civil rights was hugely important. Although it did not accomplish anything under his term, many believe it was this speech that later pushed Washington D.C. to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964, under Lyndon B. Johnson. President Kennedy also led the way to desegregation in Mississippi and Alabama, which forced the hands of the rest of the South. His relationship with Dr. King, although not great, was existent. His brother, attorney general Robert Kennedy, pushed the Atlanta courts to release Dr. King following his arrest in 1960. He even placed a sympathetic phone call to Coretta Scott King. Finally, his endorsement of the "March on Washington" helped to provide the cause with international recognition, and it is most likely this action pushed the civil rights movement to the forefront of domestic issues. One of his most important moves was the creation of the Commission for Equal Employment Opportunity. This commission served to make sure that federal agencies, the civil service, was making appropriate hires and not segregating against African-Americans. Although this move did not do much to help the struggle, it eventually made way for the Equal Employment Opportunity Act, which created more work opportunities for African-Americans, and penalized businesses for making race-related hirings. Despite these successes though, it was not an easy going with a split congress, and waning party support from the South.

Kennedy and the Dixiecrats

From the beginning of his presidential term, Kennedy had problems appeasing citizens. To begin, he did not have an outright mandate from the American public, winning a close election over popular former Vice President Nixon. Without a real mandate, he could not pass whatever legislation he deemed fit. Also, with the federal government growing in power, states began to push back for their own rights, most notably in the South