President John F. Kennedy and the Civil Rights Movement

President John F. Kennedy is often credited with laying the foundation for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other pertinent civil rights legislation. African Americans perceived President Kennedy as an advocate for civil rights legislation and supporter of the Civil Rights Movement, this paper is an attempt to determine the accuracy of these inferences. It is well documented that President Kennedy asked Dr. King to drop the voting rights component of the Civil Rights Movement in return for a tax exempt status. This, according to the Kennedy Administration, would make it easier to sell civil rights legislation in the south. This request on the part of the Kennedy administration compels some political scientists to speculate whether or not the goal of the administration, with regards to civil rights, was purely political or aimed at helping African Americans achieve social, economic and political parity. If the goal of the Kennedy Administration was primarily political then it may be time for political scientists and historians to reassess the Kennedy legacy with regards to civil rights and acknowledge the true impact President Lyndon Johnson had with regards to advancing civil rights. While it is clear President Johnson was able to garner the political support needed to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964, John Kennedy is usually given the credit for introducing the idea of civil rights legislation to the American public and discussing it with key members of the United States Congress.