Words to Remember

I find that my mood swings toward nostalgia and melancholy on the anniversary of President John F. Kennedy's death. Kennedy was a pivotal character during my youth, and I am compelled, on this day each year, to reflect on the turbulent decade of the1960s—the formative years that shaped me into the woman I am today.

The Sixties were rife with violence; punctuated with protests, riots, and assassinations, most of the bloodshed related to the Civil Rights Movement. Raised in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, a city with a predominantly white population, I had no first-hand experience with racism, but I listened, read, and watched as President Kennedy, Attorney General Kennedy, and Martin Luther King fought this battle and I knew they were the good guys and I was on their side. It was President Kennedy's administration that instilled my unwavering belief in human rights.

The assassinations of these leaders marred my innocence. I became acutely aware that evil existed and it lurked within our government. I have always believed there was a conspiracy, not only with the assassination of President Kennedy, but also Senator Kennedy and Martin Luther King. I think most people believe that there was a conspiracy behind the killing of President Kenned; the "magic-bullet" theory was just too preposterous for most rational Americans.

President Kennedy has always been revered for being a strong supporter of civil rights, but few remember that he was passionate about the environment. After reading Rachel Carson's book, Silent Spring, he appointed a Science committee to investigate the impact of pesticides on health and the environment. The findings criticized the chemical pesticide industry and called for stricter government policy. This was a bold move against Velsicol Chemical LLC, a multi-billion dollar corporation. Kennedy's investigation helped catapult the establishment of the EPA and present-day environmental protection laws.

 
In 1961, he provided the first government loan under the Public Housing Administration to build 150 homes for the Oglala Sioux on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

Source: John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, American Indian Chicago Conference, 8/15/62

Kennedy also appointed a Commission on the Status of Women before approving the Equal Pay Act of 1963. In a press release on the signing of the Equal Pay Act, he remarked, "I believe we must expand day-care centers and provide other assistance which I have recommended to the Congress. At present, the total facilities of all the licensed day-care centers in the Nation can take care of only 185,000 children. Nearly 500,000 children under 12 must take care of themselves while their mothers work. This, it seems to me, is a formula for disaster." 

In 1967, Hallmark published a small book, John F. Kennedy: Words to Remember. The book sold for $2.50.  Robert Kennedy wrote the foreword: 

The story of history is properly more than a succession of dates and events, of crisis and controversy. It is illuminated, at its best, by the acts and words of its participants.

I am pleased, therefore, that Hallmark is publishing this small volume. In these words of President Kennedy, we share once again the events – here and abroad – of his administration. Here are the tones of those struggles – for peace, for civil rights, for a better life for our people – whose echoes move us still, and shall always remain our concern.

Although this day saddens me, it is the echo of John F. Kennedy that motivates me. His convictions inspire me to continue fighting for human rights, women's rights, and for the environment. His words, uttered fifty years ago still ring true today. “The earth, the sea and the air are the concerns of every nation. And science, technology and education can be the ally of every nation.”