Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-040-001
This folder contains materials collected by the office of President John F. Kennedy's secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, concerning President Kennedy's remarks at the Rice University Stadium in Houston, Texas concerning the nation's efforts in space exploration. In his speech the President discusses the necessity for the United States to become an international leader in space exploration, and famously states, "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." Materials in this folder include a draft by Special Counsel and speechwriter Theodore Sorensen, press copies, and a reading copy of the speech. Of note are several items with handwritten notations by the President.