Question

"John F. Kennedy's Address on Civil Rights" by John F. Kennedy It ought to be possible… for American students of any color to attend any public institution they select without having to be backed up by troops. ...It ought to be possible for American consumers of any color to receive equal service in places of public accommodation, such as hotels and restaurants and theaters and retail stores, without being forced to resort to demonstrations in the street, and it ought to be possible for American citizens of any color to register and to vote in a free election without interference or fear of reprisal. It ought to be possible, in short, for every American to enjoy the privileges of being American without regard to his race or his color. In short, every American ought to have the right to be treated as he would wish to be treated, as one would wish his children to be treated. But this is not the case…. ...This is not a sectional issue. … Nor is this a partisan issue. …This is not even a legal or legislative issue alone. It is better to settle these matters in the courts than on the streets, and new laws are needed at every level, but law alone cannot make men see right. We are confronted primarily with a moral issue. It is as old as the scriptures and is as clear as the American Constitution. The heart of the question is — whether all Americans are to be afforded equal rights and equal opportunities. Whether we are going to treat our fellow Americans as we want to be treated. If an American, because his skin is dark, cannot eat lunch in a restaurant open to the public, if he cannot send his children to the best public school available, if he cannot vote for the public officials who represent him, if, in short, he cannot enjoy the full and free life which all of us want, then who among us would be content to have the color of his skin changed and stand in his place? Who among us would then be content with the counsels of patience and delay? One hundred years of delay have passed since President Lincoln freed the slaves, yet their heirs, their grandsons, are not fully free…. ...It is not enough to pin the blame on others, to say this is a problem of one section of the country or another, or deplore the fact that we face. A great change is at hand, and our task, our obligation, is to make that revolution, that change, peaceful and constructive for all. Transcript of John F. Kennedy's Address on Civil Rights, June 11, 1963 Question Use the excerpt from John F. Kennedy’s address on civil rights to answer the question. How did President Kennedy achieve his main purpose for giving this speech? (1 point) Responses by identifying other public officials who agree with his viewpoint by identifying other public officials who agree with his viewpoint by comparing the Constitution to the scriptures by comparing the Constitution to the scriptures by explaining how he is keeping American students safe by explaining how he is keeping American students safe by framing civil rights as a moral issue rather than a legal issue by framing civil rights as a moral issue rather than a legal issue

Answer 1

President Kennedy achieved his main purpose for giving this speech by framing civil rights as a moral issue rather than a legal issue. He emphasized the importance of treating all Americans equally, regardless of race or color, and highlighted the moral obligation to ensure that every individual enjoys the privileges of citizenship. By presenting civil rights as a fundamental moral question, he aimed to appeal to the conscience of the American public and lawmakers, urging them to recognize the urgency of the struggle for equality and the necessity for societal change. This framing elevated the discussion beyond mere legalities, calling for a collective moral awakening and action to address the injustices faced by African Americans.