John F. Kennedy was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. Born in Brookline, Massachusetts in 1917, Kennedy came from a wealthy and politically influential family. You can read more of his bio below.
“I do not think it entirely inappropriate to introduce myself to this audience. I am the man who accompanied Jacqeline Kennedy to Paris, and I have enjoyed it.”
“It was absolutely involuntary. They sank my boat.”
“Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind.” History.com
“If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.”
“Our problems are manmade—therefore, they can be solved by man. And man can be as big as he wants. No problem of human destiny is beyond human beings.”
“I see nothing wrong with giving Robert some legal experience as Attorney General before he goes out to practice law.”
“Do you realize the responsibility I carry? I’m the only person standing between Richard Nixon and the White House.”
“And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.”
“I’m against vice in any form.”
“A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on.”
“The human mind is our fundamental resource.”
“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”
“If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him. We must never forget that art is not a form of propaganda; it is a form of truth.”
“If we cannot now end our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity.”
“My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”
“Just think what my margin might have been if I had never left home at all.”
“Let’s not talk so much about vice.”
“Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.”
“Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names.”
“Partnership is not a posture but a process – a continuous process that grows stronger each year as we devote ourselves to common tasks.”
“For a city or a people to be truly free they must have the secure right, without economic, political or police pressure, to make their own choice and to live their own lives.”
“You know nothing for sure…except the fact that you know nothing for sure.”
“The problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by skeptics or cynics whose horizons are limited by the obvious realities. We need men who can dream of things that never were and ask “why not?”
“We must know all the facts and hear all the alternatives and listen to all the criticisms. Let us welcome controversial books and controversial authors. For the Bill of Rights is the guardian of our security as well as our liberty.”
“I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered together at the White House, with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone.”
“I just received the following wire from my generous Daddy: “Dear Jack, Don’t buy a single vote more than is necessary. I’ll be damned if I’m going to pay for a landslide.”
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” cnn.com
John F. Kennedy Biography
Kennedy is most famous for his leadership during the Cold War, particularly his handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. He also championed civil rights and was a strong advocate for space exploration.
During his presidency, Kennedy established the Peace Corps, which sent American volunteers to developing countries to provide humanitarian aid and promote cross-cultural understanding. He also launched the Apollo space program, which ultimately resulted in the United States landing a man on the moon in 1969.
In 1961, Kennedy became the youngest person ever to be elected President of the United States at the age of 43. He won the Pulitzer Prize for his book “Profiles in Courage” in 1957, which he wrote while serving as a senator from Massachusetts.
Despite his relatively short time in office, Kennedy is remembered as one of the most charismatic and inspiring presidents in American history. His speeches, particularly his inaugural address in which he famously proclaimed, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country,” continue to resonate with Americans today.
