This article is the first installment of an HPR series exploring President Kennedy’s legacy as we reflect on the 50th anniversary of his assassination.
Fifty years later, JFK’s most memorable quote remains: “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” President Kennedy’s greatest legacy exists not in his executive orders or legislative actions, but rather the commitment to service that he inspired in the American people. Both in public service and private charity, Kennedy’s encouragement defined a generation. Through his lasting impact, Kennedy continues to influence America’s leaders and inspires students and citizens alike.
A Man of Action
Kennedy’s commitment to service ran further than lofty speeches and tenuous encouragement. Rather, his own inspirational turn to public service demonstrated the extent to which he supported his own philosophy. After his brother Joseph Kennedy, Jr.’s death, JFK himself entered into the “family profession” in order to better serve his nation in matters of “war and peace, prosperity and recession, [and] whether we look forward or into the past.”
Recalling his time at Harvard in a 1960 recording, Kennedy remembered his future Senate rival Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.’s election to the Senate during Kennedy’s freshman year, in 1936. Remarking how he could never have thought he would eventually defeat the Senator in the future, Kennedy called upon others to consider public service, including the “freshman that would probably end up defeating [him] sometime.”
Similarly, Kennedy would prospectively encourage college students today to enter in public service. Naturally, then, Harvard’s own John F. Kennedy School of Government could not have received a more appropriate name.
A Man of Influence
Through institutions such as the Peace Corps, President Kennedy altered both American and international conceptions of service. He believed service need not stop at national boundaries. He thought America’s code of morality must stand as a model for other nations, and America must be a people that demonstrate greatness worldwide.
In another testament to Kennedy’s influence, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s recent Radcliffe visit illuminated Kennedy’s personal charm among the nation’s young people. Explaining her fondness for Kennedy in her youth, when her father was mayor of Baltimore, Pelosi’s story suggests that Kennedy’s voice carried far, and his call to action even farther.
President Kennedy’s handsomeness and charisma may have contributed to his 1960 electoral victory, but it is his idealism and policy that contributed to his superior legacy and popularity. His presidential image was unique, but his influence was mainstream. Even Kennedy’s allegedly questionable character would not detract from the president’s legacy. For those who ascribe to him purportedly indecent actions, President Kennedy’s legacy remains distinct. His actions as a person are one aspect, but the ideas that he stood for remain another. Regardless of what one suspects of the former, the latter remains unquestionably popular and ethical.
A Man of Unity
America remembers November 22, 1963 for the loss of a leader who understood American values and generated enthusiasm for American exceptionalism. On the brink of turning a Cold War into a hot one in October 1962, Kennedy maintained that America would not yield to Soviet pressures. A firm believer that America would triumph over communism, Kennedy knew the American “freedom experiment” would ultimately prove successful, and he brought the country together in a time of crisis.
Kennedy also unified the American people across party lines. Kennedy espoused the ideals of both liberalism and conservatism. His conscientious regard for people’s welfare combined with his acceptance of economic liberty made Kennedy a bipartisan idol, unmatched in popularity.
It is Kennedy’s non-partisan character that best contributes to his positive impact. Consider another of Kennedy’s famous quotes: “If by a “Liberal” they mean…then I’m proud to say I’m a “Liberal.” Subsequently listing compassionate aspects of liberalism, Kennedy’s quote does as much to redefine liberalism as it does to redefine himself. Kennedy, a heavy defense-spending and tax-cutting capitalist at his core, argued not for Washington’s interference in people’s welfare. Rather, Kennedy positively argued for inspiring people to provide for themselves and to further challenge them to provide for their country.
It is hard to find a place for Kennedy in the modern political spectrum. A long-revered hero to the left, his actions more appropriately place him as a centrist. In some respects, Kennedy could be described as the best Republican president in recent times. At the same time, Kennedy’s commitment to the Democratic Party is well documented. Kennedy was certainly progressive in matters of civil rights, women’s rights, and other social issues. He challenged public perceptions and fought oppression. In that way, everyone can learn from Kennedy’s leadership. Amid tough political challenges of increasing polarization, Kennedy appears to be among the greatest role models for both the left and the right. In his image, let us hope to find resolve.
A pragmatic politician but an inspirational ideologue, President Kennedy’s encouragement of public service should not be taken lightly. One of America’s greatest leaders was assassinated on November 22, 1963, but his ideas live on. Fifty years later, we all share responsibility for keeping the torch burning.
© 2024 Harvard Political Review. All rights reserved.