The Kennedy Years Election of 1960 Republicans nominated

The Kennedy Years

Election of 1960 Republicans nominated Eisenhower’s Vice-President, Richard Nixon l Democrats nominated Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy l Election featured the first televised presidential debates and it was the first time television was used as a serious campaign tool l Kennedy won in a tight election, in some ways due to his better manipulation of television l

John F. Kennedy 1917 – 1963 35 th President (1961 – 63) WWII veteran who had held his own command in the US Navy l First Catholic president l In his inaugural address, he famously stated “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country” l l l

The Peace Corps Created in 1961 Purpose is “To promote world peace and friendship … which shall make available to interested countries … men and women of the United States qualified for service abroad and willing to serve, under conditions of hardship if necessary, to help the peoples of such countries and areas in meeting their needs for trained manpower. ” l Since 1961, over 200, 000 college-educated American volunteers have served 2 -year commitments in foreign nations l l

The New Frontier JFK proposed ambitious policies intended to boost education, health insurance for the elderly, create a Dept. of Urban Affairs, & help migrants l Congress decided that Kennedy’s programs were too expensive and voted against them l

Project Mercury l l 1959 – 1963 NASA’s first program designed to put an American in space Capsule could carry only a single astronaut Cost $384 million, but succeeded at getting the US’ manned space program off the ground

John Glenn 1921 – Present US Marine pilot who became the first American to orbit the earth in 1962 l Went on to serve as US Senator from Ohio from 1974 – 1999 l In 1998, became the oldest person to fly in space when he took part in a shuttle mission at age 77 l l

Kennedy Targets the Moon l “[We] commit … before this decade is out, to landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth … But why, some say, the moon? Why choose this as our goal? And they may well ask why climb the highest mountain? …We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win”

Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) Founded in 1942 l Created to apply the Gandhi’s model of nonviolent resistance to the American civil rights movement, opposing Jim Crow laws in the South and housing and employment inequities in northern cities l

Freedom Riders Teams of black and white CORE volunteers traveled into the South on buses to try to forcibly integrate bus terminals as had been ordered by federal courts, but ignored by most local governments l These riders were attacked by angry white mobs in Alabama, and in Birmingham were met and beaten by members of the KKK who had been tipped off by the local police l

James Meredith & the University of Mississippi 1933 – Present In Sept. 1962, tried to register at the Univ. of Mississippi under a court-order, but was blocked by Gov. Ross Barnett l President Kennedy ordered 500 US Marshalls to escort Meredith onto campus, but an angry mob attacked the Marshalls, forcing Kennedy to use US Army troops to protect Meredith l Meredith went on to be a civil rights activist, was shot while leading a protest march, and later served on the staff of Sen. Jesse Helms l l

Medgar Evers 1925 – 1963 WWII veteran who became a civil rights activist and officer in the NAACP who helped gain James Meredith admission to Univ. of Mississippi l Was shot and killed in front of his home by a member of the KKK l No one was convicted of his killing until 1994 l l

“Bull” Connor 1897 – 1973 l Public Safety Commissioner in Birmingham, AL, known for his use of brutal police tactics to enforce segregation and who allowed the attacks on the Freedom Riders l In 1963, Connor was running for mayor when Dr. King decided to stage protests in Birmingham designed to provoke a violent response and discredit Connor’s campaign l

“Letter from a Birmingham Jail” King was arrested and held in solitary confinement l King used the time to compose a letter which explained his rationale for using non-violent protest even when faced with brutally violent tactics by his opponents l After King was released, Connor ordered police to use clubs, dogs, and fire-hoses on King’s supporters, all of which was shown on national television to a stunned American audience l

George Wallace 1919 – 1998 l June 1963: Alabama Governor blocked the admission of black students at the Univ. of Alabama, provoking President Kennedy to call on Congress to enact a new civil rights bill l Wallace later went on to run for President 4 times, backing away from his segregationist stance and was shot and paralyzed while campaigning in 1972 l

March on Washington August 28, 1963 l Dr. King wanted to lobby Congress for passage of Kennedy’s civil rights bill and organized a massive rally on the mall in Washington, DC l More than 200, 000 attended to hear King and others speak l

“I Have a Dream” "I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be selfevident, that all men are created equal. '" l "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. “ l “And when this happens … we will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!” l

16 th Street Church Bombing Sept. 15, 1963 l Birmingham, AL l Members of the KKK bombed a black church which was frequently used as a meeting place for civil rights leaders, killing 4 girls aged 11 to 14 l No one was convicted of the crime until 1977 l

Lyndon B. Johnson l President Kennedy was assassinated before he could gain passage of the new civil rights bill, but President Johnson, a Southerner, committed himself to pushing the bill through in Kennedy’s memory and had the connections in Congress to make it happen.

The Women’s Movement The Women’s Liberation Movement began to take shape in the 1960 s as women became resentful of discriminatory practices that denied them access to equal education, credit, job opportunities, and pay l Women were also upset over their lack of a political voice at a time when many other oppressed groups, such as African Americans, were suddenly experiencing widespread gains l

The Pill Oral contraceptives first became available to American women in 1960, giving them the power over whether or not they had children for the first time l Griswold v Connecticut: in 1965 the Supreme Court ruled that the states could not restrict married couples access to contraception l Eisenstadt v Baird : in 1972 the Court ruled that single women had the same right to contraception as married ones l

Presidential Commission on the Status of Women l Established in 1961 by President Kennedy and headed by former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to consider women’s rights and roles within the workplace and propose new legislation on such to the government

Equal Pay Act of 1963 l Banned discriminatory practice of paying women less than a man for the same work, unless the employer pays on basis of seniority, merit, or productivity

Betty Friedan 1921 – 2006 l Her book The Feminine Mystique, published in 1963, is often called the beginning of the modern feminist movement l The book focused on the dissatisfaction felt by American women with their roles as housewives and mothers and led to creation of women’s groups around the nation l

Environmentalism l Throughout the 1960 s, Americans became increasingly concerned with the damage being done to the environment through pollution, logging, and manmade alterations to natural habitats, such as dams, mines, etc.

Rachel Carson 1907 – 1964 l Marine biologist who wrote the book Silent Spring in 1962 which warned of the dangers posed by overuse of pesticides by farmers – mainly that the pesticides also killed creatures like birds and fish which ate the insects l The book sold well despite opposition by chemical companies, and led many Americans to reconsider their impact on the environment l

JFK Assassination Nov. 22, 1963 l While riding in a motorcade in Dallas, TX, Kennedy was shot and killed l Lee Harvey Oswald was charged with the killing, but was himself shot and killed 2 days later by Jack Ruby while being transported from jail to appear in court l