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Sound recording
White House Audio Collection
JFKWHA-194-001
Sound recording of President John F. Kennedy’s radio and television address on civil rights. In his speech the President responds to the threats of violence and obstruction on the University of Alabama campus following desegregation attempts, explaining that the United States was founded on the principle that all men are created equal and thus, all American students should be allowed to attend public educational institutions without the presence of military force, regardless of race. He also discusses how discrimination affects education, public safety, and international relations, noting that the country cannot preach freedom internationally while ignoring it domestically. The President asks Congress to enact legislation protecting all Americans' voting rights, legal standing, educational opportunities, and access to public facilities; but recognizes that legislation alone cannot solve the country's problems concerning race relations.
Sound recording
White House Audio Collection
JFKWHA-058-006
Sound recording of President John F. Kennedy’s recorded remarks for the centennial convocation of the Association of Land Grant Colleges and State Universities held in Kansas, Missouri. In his speech President Kennedy discusses the 1862 Morrill Act, a bill that established America’s land-grant universities.