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John F. Kennedy on Civil Rights
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FactCheck: 1960 election 70%-30% for JFK among black voters
FactCheck by OnTheIssues.org: Morris states that "In 1952 & 1956, a majority of blacks backed the Republican Party." That is not true; the only kernel of truth is that in both of those elections the Republicans fared better than in the previous elections
In 1952, the black vote for president was 76% Democratic, only slightly more Republican than in the previous election. In 1956, the black vote for president was 61% Democratic--an improvement for the Republicans but not a majority.
Morris further states that in 1960, "blacks showed their appreciation by voting for Kennedy by a margin of 70-30." The voting figures are reasonably accurate, but the trend is Morris' opinion, at best. In 1960 blacks voted
for Kennedy in roughly the same as their overall voting pattern since 1936. In other words, blacks showed appreciation for Eisenhower in 1956, more than they showed appreciation for Kennedy in 1960.
Source: Blacks & the 2008 DNC, JointCenter.org
Source: OnTheIssues FactCheck on Condi vs. Hillary, by Dick Morris
, Apr 15, 2011
1960 election: Won African American vote 70%-30% over Nixon
The Democratic domination of the African American vote really did not begin until 1960, when Kennedy dramatically called Coretta Scott King, the wife of Dr. Martin Luther King, after her husband was sent to prison in Georgia. On Election
Day, blacks showed their appreciation by voting for Kennedy by a margin of 70-30, more than enough to give the Democrat the victory over Richard Nixon. In 1964, the black preference for the Democrats became a landslide, as president Lyndon
Johnson rallied a grieving nation after Kennedy's assassination to demand passage of the strong civil rights bill JFK had proposed during his last year in office. Backed by a national outcry,
Johnson jammed through the far-reaching legislation, which ended discrimination against blacks in virtually every area of national life. Ironically, it was only with strong Republican support that the bill was able to pass.
Source: Condi vs. Hillary, by Dick Morris, p. 56-57
, Oct 11, 2005
1961: created Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity
In March 1961, Pres. Kennedy established the President's Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity (PCEEO), to end discrimination in federal employment. Every federal government contract included the provision to "not discriminate against any employee
because of race, creed, color, or national origin. The contractor will take affirmative action, to ensure that applicants are employed and that employees are treated during employment, without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin.
Source: They Think You're Stupid, by Herman Cain, p. 23-24
, Jun 14, 2005
Push to register black voters to help Democrats in 1964
The Kennedys were unquestionably eager to see more blacks registered to vote. But anyone with the dimmest knowledge of contemporary affairs understood that virtually every new black voter helped the Democrats. Above all Jack and Bobby wanted to quell the
turmoil that threatened to disrupt the entire nation and thus destroy their administration.The summer of 1963 proved to be as strife-ridden as many had feared. Justice Department records showed 978 demonstrations in 209 cities in the period from
May 20 to August 8. No doubt responding to the turbulence, Congress seemed more favorable toward civil rights legislation than many had thought.
By late November considerable doubt remained among political observers whether or not the compromise
[civil rights] bill would win approval on Capitol Hill. Bobby later admitted that the Senate was a major hurdle.
One Senator, a personal friend of Jack's, said later that the bill would not have passed if the president had lived.
Source: A Question of Character, by Thomas Reeves, p.356-363
, Dec 10, 1997
Encouraged federal offices to hire blacks
The initial civil rights strategy of the Kennedy Administration had its positive side. The federal government was encouraged to hire blacks. Quiet efforts were made to integrate public schools. The Justice
Department worked to ensure voting rights, an activity that, as one scholar has noted, "risked the least political capital." On the other hand, executive orders were not issued as promised, and legislation was placed on the back burner.
The attorney general concurred with the view of J. Edgar Hoover (himself violently opposed to the civil rights movement) that the federal government lacked the legal authority to protect civil rights workers.
All over the South activists were beaten at will while FBI agents looked the other way.
Source: A Question of Character, by Thomas Reeves, p.338
, Dec 10, 1997
Impatient for school desegregation in early 1960s
A lack of adequate education is one root of other Negro problems, the President said, and the implementation of the Supreme Court's decision cannot be left solely to those who lack the resources to bring suits or withstand intimidation. "The pace
is very slow. To many Negro children entering segregated grade schools at the time of the Supreme Court's decision nine years ago will enter segregated high schools this fall, having suffered a loss which can never be restored. "
Source: "Kennedy" by Ted Sorensen, p. 497-498
, Jan 1, 1965
Civil rights in public, not private intermarriage
Kennedy pressed for action [on civil rights for African-Americans] from clergymen of all faiths, certain they would "recognize the conflict between racial bigotry and the Holy Word." What about racial intermarriage?
Asked one minister. "I am not talking about private lives," replied the President, dismissing the familiar bugaboo, "but public accommodation, public education, and public elections."The overall response made Kennedy proud of his country.
The citizen "lobby"--led by religious groups--was massive and effective. Even more striking was the voluntary removal of segregation signs and practices in chain stores, theaters and restaurants.
The nation's clergy were goaded into effective action on a major moral issue which had long preceded Kennedy's leadership. Progress was slow and insufficient, but, compared to the previous 100 years, rapid and gratifying.
Source: "Kennedy" by Ted Sorensen, p.502
, Jan 1, 1965
1920s Know-Nothing Party: formed to fight Irish immigrants
In the century between 1820 and 1920, some 4 million people left Ireland to come to the US.The Irish were the first to endure the scorn and discrimination later to be inflicted, to some degree at least, on each successive wave of
immigrants by already settled "Americans." In speech and dress they seemed foreign; they were poor and unskilled; and they were arriving in overwhelming numbers. The Irish are perhaps the only people in our history with the distinction of having a
political party, the Know-Nothings, formed against them. Their religion was later also the target of the American Protective Association and, in this century, the Ku Klux Klan.
The Irish found many doors closed to them, both socially and economically. Advertisements for jobs specified: "No Irish need apply." But there was manual labor to be done, and the Irish were ready to do it.
Source: A Nation of Immigrants, by John F. Kennedy, p. 17-18
, Jan 8, 1963
Page last updated: Apr 28, 2013
