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Inaugural address of John F. Kennedy

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A video of Kennedy giving his inaugural address after being sworn in as the thirty-fifth President of the United States on January 20, 1961.

U.S. President John F. Kennedy delivered his only inaugural address at 12:51 (ET) Friday, January 20, 1961,[1] immediately after taking the presidential oath of office administered by Chief Justice Earl Warren.[2]

Background

John Kennedy was nominated as the Democratic candidate for the presidency in the 1960 presidential election, defeating Republican candidate and Vice President Richard Nixon. In doing so he became the youngest man elected U.S. president and the first Roman Catholic president.[3]

Inaugural address

President John F. Kennedy delivers his inaugural address.

Kennedy began his speech at 12:51 (ET) Friday, 20 January 1961,[4] immediately after taking the presidential oath of office.[2]

The address is 1364 words and took 13 minutes and 59 seconds to deliver, from the first word to the last word, not including applause at the end, making it the fourth-shortest inaugural address ever delivered. It is widely considered to be among the best presidential inauguration speeches in American history.[5]

Drafting

President John F. Kennedy.

Kennedy began collecting thoughts and ideas for his inauguration speech in late November 1960. He sought suggestions from various friends, aides and counselors, including suggestions from clergymen for biblical quotations. Kennedy then made several drafts using his thoughts and those suggestions.[6]

The eve of the address was marked by heavy snow, but plans made to cancel the address were overridden.[2] After attending the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Georgetown, Kennedy headed towards the U.S. Capitol building accompanied by President Dwight Eisenhower to the inaugural ceremony.[2]

Inauguration Day

Robert Frost attended the inaugural ceremonies, and brought a handwritten poem titled Dedication meant for the President. Although Frost had planned to read aloud a typed copy of the poem at the ceremonies, the sun glare reflecting off the heavy snow that fell the night before made it difficult to read.[7][8] He then recited by memory The Gift Outright, and handed the original handwritten version of Dedication to John and his wife Jacqueline, who framed the poem and wrote on the back: For Jack. First thing I had framed to be put in your office. First thing to be hung there.[7] The speech was drafted by Kennedy's speech writer Ted Sorenson, and draws heavily from Lincoln's Gettysburg address.

Notable passages

"Inaugural address of John F. Kennedy"
The full inaugural address made by John F. Kennedy after being sworn in as the thirty-fifth President of the United States on January 20, 1961. (Duration:14 minutes)
Problems playing this file? See media help.
The most famous passage from the inaugural address is etched in stone at Kennedy's gravesite in Arlington National Cemetery, with the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument in the background.
  • "...the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God."
  • "Let the word go forth.....that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans."
  • "Let every nation know... that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty."
  • "The world is very very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life."
  • "Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate."
  • "And so my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country"
  • "For only when our arms are sufficient beyond doubt can we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed."
  • "All this will not be finished in the first 100 days. Nor will it be finished in the first 1,000 days, nor in the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin."
  • "...let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own."

See also

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

References

  • Clarke, Thurston Ask Not : The Inauguration of John F. Kennedy and the Speech That Changed America. New York: Henry Holt and Co., 2004. ISBN 0-8050-7213-6.
  1. ^ "White House Diaries". John F. Kennedy Library and Museum. Retrieved January 8, 2008.
  2. ^ a b c d "John F. Kennedy Inaugural Address". Bartleby. Retrieved January 8, 2008.
  3. ^ "World War II and a Future in Politics", John F. Kennedy, The 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, p. 3, retrieved May 5, 2010 {{citation}}: External link in |chapterurl= (help); Unknown parameter |chapterurl= ignored (|chapter-url= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ "White House Diaries". John F. Kennedy Library and Museum. Retrieved January 8, 2008.
  5. ^ Kennedy, John Fitzgerald. "Inaugural Address". American Rhetoric. Retrieved July 7, 2008.
  6. ^ National Archives and Records Administration. "John F. Kennedy's inaugural address, 1961". Retrieved January 29, 2008.
  7. ^ a b "Robert Frost's Original Poem for JFK's Inauguration Finds Way to Kennedy Presidential Library". John F. Kennedy Library and Museum. Retrieved January 8, 2008.
  8. ^ "The Poetry of Robert Frost". Library of Congress. Retrieved May 5, 2010.
Wikiquote has quotations related to John F. Kennedy.
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