Throughout American history, people have voiced a variety of concerns to public officials through letter-writing. The archives at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum include more than 24 million pages of documents related to John F. Kennedy's family, his pre-presidential years, and his time as president. Among the wealth of primary source material are thousands of letters of concern. The 15-minute video explains the importance of letter writing, provides examples of letters to President Kennedy from young people, and guides students (and others!) to write their own letter to the president. The packet below includes letter-writing templates and the historical letters mentioned in the video. For a more in-depth lesson on letter-writing, see Making Your Voice Heard which is described below.
Access the lesson plan Making Your Voice Heard. Students can investigate historical letters to public officials, including several to President Kennedy, and then write their own letters of concern.
Watch the 15-minute demonstration video for tips and guidance on how your students can write and mail a letter to President Biden to make their voices a part of the historical record.
Download this packet with sample letters and templates.