2011 will mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Presidency of John F. Kennedy. The Kennedy presidency had a major impact on the world, and left a legacy that continues to be felt throughout the United States and internationally. Kennedy’s presidency shaped history and inspired millions, including past and current heads of state, politicians, civic leaders, and ordinary people from all walks of life.
John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address proclaimed the beginning of a thirty-year drive that led to the end of the Cold War, the collapse of the Soviet empire, the rise of the United States as a preeminent world power, and the growth of a global movement for freedom and democracy. The Kennedy years launched the modern era of science and technology, expanded the responsibility of government for protecting civil rights, demonstrated the interconnected nature of global events and cultures, and defined a new role for the presidency in the search for international peace and security.
Above all, President Kennedy inspired Americans to “ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” And he urged his “fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
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JFK50th Anniversary Film Short
The 50th anniversary of the Kennedy Presidency presents a unique opportunity to project this far-reaching legacy to new generations throughout the United States and around the world. The themes of the 50th anniversary include the search for international peace and security, the struggle for civil and human rights, the advancement of science and technology, the promotion of public service, and the celebration of culture and the arts. These themes reflect major events and challenges that defined the Kennedy Administration, such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement, the Space Program, and the Peace Corps.
At the center of 50th anniversary celebrations will be the Kennedy Presidential Library. As the nation’s only official living memorial to President Kennedy, the Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum will be the focal point of the anniversary and the principal Kennedy attraction for hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the nation and the world. As the birthplace of John F. Kennedy and the state that launched his career, Massachusetts will be the site of multiple celebrations of the Kennedy presidency.
The final aspect of the 50th anniversary will be the global reach of the Kennedy legacy through the expansion of its presence on the internet. By 2011 the Kennedy Library and Foundation will have completed a substantial portion of the historic and unprecedented initiative to create a Digital Archive of the Kennedy Presidency that will be accessible on the Web to a worldwide audience. In addition, the Kennedy Library will have developed a greatly expanded capacity to project on the internet the voices, images and events of President Kennedy and his era, and the programs and activities of the Library, through such new communications technologies as YouTube and podcasting.