Inaugural Address of President John F. Kennedy (Primary source)
John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address marked a defining moment in American oratory, delivering a vision of renewal, responsibility, and global leadership during the Cold War. Addressing a divided world and a nation in transition, Kennedy struck a balance between idealism and resolve, famously declaring, ‘Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.’ This call to civic duty encapsulated his appeal for collective sacrifice and public service, urging Americans to embrace their role in shaping the nation’s future.
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“To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins we share, we pledge the loyalty of faithful friends. United there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided there is little we can do—for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder.”
John F. Kennedy
“Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”
— John F. Kennedy Primary source“We choose to go to the Moon. We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”
— John F. Kennedy Primary source“We have had our failures, but so have others, even if they do not admit them. And they may be less public.”
— John F. Kennedy Primary source“Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.”
— John F. Kennedy Primary sourceMore quotes by John F. Kennedy →