JFK and domestic affairs: The New Frontier

The New Frontier  “We stand at the edge of a New Frontier- the frontier of unfulfilled hopes and dreams, a frontier of unknown opportunities and beliefs in peril. Beyond that frontier are uncharted areas of science and space, unsolved problems of peace and war, unconquered problems of ignorance and prejudice, unanswered questions of poverty and surplus.”  -JFK’s 1960 acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention  “We stand at the edge of a New Frontier- the frontier of unfulfilled hopes and dreams, a frontier of unknown opportunities and beliefs in peril. Beyond that frontier are uncharted areas of science and space, unsolved problems of peace and war, unconquered problems of ignorance and prejudice, unanswered questions of poverty and surplus.”  -JFK’s 1960 acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention

JFK’s cabinet and advisors: “The Best and the Brightest”  JFK’s cabinet was populated by many young, Ivy League- educated men  Robert McNamara: Defense Secretary  Dean Rusk: Secretary of State  McGeorge Bundy: National Security Advisor  Ted Sorensen: speechwriter  Pierre Salinger: Press Secretary  Bobby Kennedy: 35 yr. old Attorney General  The real reason:  JFK’s cabinet was populated by many young, Ivy League- educated men  Robert McNamara: Defense Secretary  Dean Rusk: Secretary of State  McGeorge Bundy: National Security Advisor  Ted Sorensen: speechwriter  Pierre Salinger: Press Secretary  Bobby Kennedy: 35 yr. old Attorney General  The real reason:

The Kennedy Economy  There was a brief economic slowdown at the end of the Eisenhower administration

The Reality of JFK’s First Term  “There’s no sense in raising hell and then not being successful.” -JFK  JFK defeated Richard Nixon in 1960 in closest election since 1888 (less than 1%)  Congress was dominated by Republicans and Southern Democrats; it was difficult for JFK to get much done!  “There’s no sense in raising hell and then not being successful.” -JFK  JFK defeated Richard Nixon in 1960 in closest election since 1888 (less than 1%)  Congress was dominated by Republicans and Southern Democrats; it was difficult for JFK to get much done!

Modest achievements?  Minimum wage raised to $1.25  Housing Act of 1961: created the Department of Housing and Urban Development; $4.9 billion for urban renewal, mass transit, and housing  Federal support for the disabled and mentally ill: after jp after jp  Equal Pay Act, 1963: gender equality in pay  Clean Air Act, 1963: tougher air pollution standards  Minimum wage raised to $1.25  Housing Act of 1961: created the Department of Housing and Urban Development; $4.9 billion for urban renewal, mass transit, and housing  Federal support for the disabled and mentally ill: after jp after jp  Equal Pay Act, 1963: gender equality in pay  Clean Air Act, 1963: tougher air pollution standards

Space… the final frontier  "First, I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him back safely to the earth. No single space project in this period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important for the long-range exploration of space; and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish.”  "No nation which expects to be the leader of other nations can expect to stay behind in this race for space."  "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."  "First, I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him back safely to the earth. No single space project in this period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important for the long-range exploration of space; and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish.”  "No nation which expects to be the leader of other nations can expect to stay behind in this race for space."  "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."

The civil rights revolution continues  JFK concentrated more on enforcing existing civil rights laws than passing new ones (through Attorney General Bobby Kennedy)  He appointed record numbers of African Americans to federal government posts, but also appointed racist federal judges in the South  Stalled until 1962 on his campaign pledge to end federal housing segregation  Kennedy's political strategy was to delay sending a civil rights bill to Congress until his second term  JFK concentrated more on enforcing existing civil rights laws than passing new ones (through Attorney General Bobby Kennedy)  He appointed record numbers of African Americans to federal government posts, but also appointed racist federal judges in the South  Stalled until 1962 on his campaign pledge to end federal housing segregation  Kennedy's political strategy was to delay sending a civil rights bill to Congress until his second term

The Freedom Rides  history/freedom-rides history/freedom-rides

The story of James Meredith meredith

The Birmingham Campaign, 1963  culture/explore/civil-rights-movement- birmingham-campaign/#.VTVDq1hdWsY culture/explore/civil-rights-movement- birmingham-campaign/#.VTVDq1hdWsY

George Wallace stands in the school door: University of Alabama, June 10, 1963  ss-past/2013/06/11/george-wallace- stood-in-a-doorway-at-the-university-of- alabama-50-years-ago-today ss-past/2013/06/11/george-wallace- stood-in-a-doorway-at-the-university-of- alabama-50-years-ago-today  history/university-of-alabama- desegregated history/university-of-alabama- desegregated

JFK’s civil rights address to the nation: June 11, 1963  es/jfkcivilrights.htm es/jfkcivilrights.htm

The murder of Medgar Evers: June 12, 1963  ar-Evers ar-Evers

The March on Washington  history/march-on-washington history/march-on-washington

16th Street Baptist Church bombing; 4 Little Girls murdered; September 15, 1963 

This concludes…  … our brief look at the domestic, social, political, and economic aspects of JFK’s brief time in office. Next, we will examine his role in The Cold War and of course, most famously, his tragic assassination.