This section presents some of John F. Kennedy's most historic speeches; view a broader selection of his pre-presidential speeches and presidential speeches in our Speeches section. For a complete record of President Kennedy's public statements, see the Public Papers of …

On January 9, 1961, President-elect John F. Kennedy returned to his native Massachusetts to appear before the state legislature to make his final formal public address before assuming the office of President of the United States. Quoting John Winthrop, one of the early Pilgrims, Kennedy said, “We must always consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill – the eyes of all …

Remarks of John F. Kennedy in a Campaign Speech on the National Housing Crisis, Boston, Massachusetts, June, 1946

Jan 29, 2025 · Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower and former Vice President Richard M. Nixon congratulate President Kennedy. In his speech President Kennedy urges American citizens to participate in public service and "ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country."

Listen to the speech. Inaugural Address of President John F. Kennedy Washington, D.C. January 20, 1961. Vice President Johnson, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chief Justice, President Eisenhower, Vice President Nixon, President Truman, Reverend Clergy, fellow citizens:

4 days ago · At an Independence Day celebration at historic Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 4, 1962, President Kennedy delivered an address on the importance of the Declaration of Independence to contemporary Americans.

Jan 28, 2025 · On June 11, President Kennedy made the decision to give a televised evening speech announcing his civil rights bill proposal. Although Kennedy delivered part of the talk extemporaneously, it was one of his best speeches--a heartfelt appeal in behalf of a moral cause that included several memorable lines calling upon the country to honor its ...

5 days ago · On the late Friday afternoon of July 15, 1960, Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts appeared before a crowd of eighty thousand people in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to deliver his formal acceptance of the Democratic party’s nomination for President of the United States.

4 days ago · On Monday, October 22, 1962, President Kennedy appeared on television to inform Americans of the recently discovered Soviet military buildup in Cuba including the ongoing installation of offensive nuclear missiles.

Listen to the speech. View related documents. President John F. Kennedy New York City September 25, 1961. Mr. President, honored delegates, ladies and gentlemen: We meet in an hour of grief and challenge. Dag Hammarskjold is dead. But the United Nations lives. His tragedy is deep in our hearts, but the task for which he died is at the top of ...