John F. Kennedy
35th President of the United States · 1917–1963
Kennedy was a Democratic president from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He faced the Cuban Missile Crisis, launched the Apollo program and the Peace Corps, and proposed the civil rights bill later passed under Johnson.
How close are you? Take the test →Position on the 12 axes
Estimated from their documented words and actions. A simplification, not a verdict.
Used federal authority, including troops and marshals, to enforce desegregation at Southern universities.
Committed to constitutional democracy and framed the Cold War as a defence of free societies.
Maintained Cold War security practices, including FBI wiretaps on civil rights leaders authorised under his administration.
Founded the Peace Corps and Alliance for Progress and signed the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.
Expanded conventional forces, approved the Bay of Pigs invasion and increased advisers in Vietnam.
Wrote A Nation of Immigrants and proposed ending national-origin quotas.
Proposed Medicare and anti-poverty measures but also cut top income tax rates.
Applied Keynesian demand management, combining stimulus with tax cuts rather than direct controls.
Signed the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which led to the Kennedy Round of tariff cuts.
The first Catholic president, he publicly pledged strict separation of church and state.
Sent a major civil rights bill to Congress in 1963 after initial caution.
Committed the nation to landing a man on the Moon within the decade.