I HOPE EVERY AMERICAN WILL EXAMINE HIS CONSCIENCE

JFK SPEAKS TO THE NATION ON CIVIL RIGHTS 

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President John F. Kennedy was criticized for not taking the decisive action on civil rights that many in the movement had expected. Although as a presidential candidate, JFK talked about what needed to be done for civil rights, it didn't translate into action during the first two years of his presidency.

All that changed on June 11, 1963 when JFK delivered a speech from the Oval Office which was the first ever given by a POTUS exclusively on the issue of civil rights.

The address came in the aftermath of an attempt by Alabama Governor George C. Wallace to stop two African-American students from being admitted to the state university at Tuscaloosa.

JFK called civil rights...

"a moral issue....as old as the Scriptures and as clear as the American Constitution."

President Kennedy began his address with these words...

"This afternoon...the presence of Alabama National Guardsmen was required on the University of Alabama to carry out the...order of the U.S. District Court.  That order called for the admission of two clearly qualified Alabama residents who happened to have been born Negro.

I hope that every American...will...examine his conscience... This Nation was founded on the principle that all men are created equal, that the rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened.

If an American, because his skin is dark, cannot eat lunch in a restaurant open to the public, if he cannot send his child to the best public school available, if he cannot vote for the public officials who represent him, who would be content to have the color of his skin changed and stand in his place."

SOURCE

"Address on Civil Rights (June  11, 1963)," Miller Center, www.millercenter.org/

JFK Speaks on Civil Rights

June 11, 1963

Photo by Abbie Rowe

JFK Library

ALABAMA NATIONAL GUARD

LBJ ANNOUNCED CALL UP OF ALABAMA NATIONAL GUARD 50 YEARS AGO 

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) Fifty years ago today, March 20, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson announced that he would be calling up the Alabama National Guard to supervise a planned civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery.

After Governor George C. Wallace backed down on his offer to use state troops to supervise the march and demanded federal troops be used instead, President Johnson responded with his announcement.

LBJ's action insured the march led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would be conducted without violence and, therefore, is considered an important step in the civil rights cause.

Governor George C. Wallace

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

June 11, 1963

Photo by Warren K. Leffler

US News and World Report

JFK ADDRESSES STUDENTS IN COSTA RICA

San Pedro, Costa Rica (JFK+50) Fifty-two years ago today, March 20, 1963, President John F. Kennedy spoke to students of the University of Costa Rica here in San Pedro.

The President insisted that the United States would not accept the yielding of Cuban sovereignty to the Soviet Union.  Mr. Kennedy also emphasized the primary tenets of his Alliance for Progress program...

"The right of every nation to govern itself, of political liberty, social justice and to make economic progress with modern technological advances."

KHRUSHCHEV NAMED TO OFFICE OF SECRETARIAT

Moscow (JFK+50) Sixty-two years ago today, March 20, 1953, the Soviet Union announced that Nikita Khrushchev was one of five men named to the new office of Secretariat of the Communist Party.

This appointment marked the beginning of Khrushchev's rise to power which culminated in his selection as Premier in 1958.  The Soviet leader was to be a major force in the Cold War but would also oversee a decrease in tensions between East and West by calling for "peaceful coexistence".

Nikita Khrushchev, 1963

Photo by Peter Heinz Junge

200TH ANNIVERSARY OF BATTLE OF LAKE ERIE

September 10, 2013

CAPTAIN OLIVER HAZARD PERRY DEFEATED BRITISH ON LAKE ERIE 200 YEARS AGO TODAY

Put-in-Bay, Ohio (JFK+50) Captain Oliver Hazard Perry* led his American fleet to victory in a key naval battle of the War of 1812 two centuries ago today, September 10, 1813.

At dawn, a lookout on Perry's flagship, Lawrence, spotted six British war ships notrthwest of Put-in-Bay.  The Captain, with nine vessels, sailed forward toward the British fleet under Robert Heriot Barclay**.

*Oliver Hazard Perry (1785-1819) was born in Rhode Island, educated in Newport and joined the US Navy in 1799.  He served in the quasi war with France, the 1st Barbary War and the War of 1812.

Perry was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor and promoted to Captain.  He died of yellow fever at the age of 34.

**Robert Heriot Barclay (1786-1837) was born in Scotland and joined the Royal Navy in 1798 at age 11.  He lost his left arm while leading a boarding attack.  Barclay died in Edinburgh at age 50.


In his 1976 article, "The Battle of Lake Erie," Richard F. Snow wrote...

"Just before the engagement, Captain Perry hoisted his battle flag...(a) large navy blue banner...emblazoned with the...words, 'Don't Give Up The Ship,' the last words of Captain James Lawrence who died on June 1, 1813."

At 12:15 p.m., Lawrence, named in honor of Captain James Lawrence, let loose with broadsides from its 32 pounders, but by 2:30 the American ship was a "floating wreck," having lost every gun on the side of engagement.

Not to be outdone, Captain Perry transferred his flag to Niagara and sailed back into battle.  By this time, the British had considerable damage of its own ships and their commander, Barclay, was severely wounded.

The British fleet then was commanded by junior officers who made some critical mistakes and soon found their ships under heavy cannon fire.

Just after 3 in the afternoon, the 4 largest British ships surrendered and the entire fleet was captured.

Oliver Hazard Perry wrote out one of the most famous messages in American naval history...

"Dear General,

We have met the enemy and they are ours.  2 ships, 2 brigs, 1 schooner and 1 sloop.

Yours with great respect and esteem,

Oliver Hazard Perry."***

***The message was sent to General William Henry Harrison.

27 American sailors were killed in the battle with 96 more wounded while
the British lost 40 dead and 94 wounded.

The victory secured American control of Lake Erie, forced the British to abandon Fort Malden and retreat up the Thames River.

                  Oliver Hazard Perry
                    Battle of Lake Erie
              by Edward Percy Moran
                  Library of Congress

         Battle of Lake Erie Monument
              Cornerstone Recreation
          Donated by the Free Masons
                          NPS Photo


SOURCES

"The Battle of Lake Erie," by Richard F. Snow, February 1976, American Heritage, Volume 27, Issue 2.

www.battleoflakeerie-bicentennial.com/


JFK FEDERALIZED ALABAMA NATIONAL GUARD 50 YEARS AGO TODAY

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President John F. Kennedy issued an executive order 50 years ago today, September 10, 1963,  forcing Governor George C. Wallace to comply with the order of the Federal Court to desegregate public schools in the state of Alabama.

The order "federalized" the Alabama Air National Guard to assist African-American students enrollment in the state's public schools.  

Troops were also be used to prevent protests or assaults on African-American students.*

JFK issued a 2nd executive order on this date which placed married men in a separate category of draftee status, giving unmarried men precedence in the selection process.

JFK GETS REPORT ON VIETNAM

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President John F. Kennedy was briefed 50 years ago today, September 10, 1963, by General Victor Krulak**** of the United States Marine Corps and Joseph Mendenhall***** of the State Department after their return from a "fact-finding" mission to Vietnam.

General Krulak told the President that progress was being made against the communists but Mr. Mendenhall said the Diem regime was near collapse.

The contrast between an extremely optimistic report by Krulak and an extremely pessimistic one by Mendenhall led JFK to ask if "they had visited the same country."

South Vietnam President Ngo Dinh Diem was overthrown in a coup in early November 1963.

****General Victor H. Krulak (1913-2008) USMC served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam.  He was born in Denver, Colorado and graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1934.  Among his many awards are the Navy Cross, the Legion of Merit, and the Purple Heart.

                General Victor Krulak
         United States Marine Corps

*****Joseph Mendenhall was born in 1920.  He continued work in Indochina under LBJ and in 1965 became director of the United States Agency for International Development and from 1972-75 was US ambassador to Madagascar.