January 30, 1961 State of the Union Address

Last updated
January 30, 1961, State of the Union Address
DateJanuary 30, 1961 (1961-01-30)
Duration43 minutes [1]
VenueHouse Chamber, United States Capitol
Location Washington, D.C.
Coordinates 38°53′23″N77°00′32″W / 38.88972°N 77.00889°W / 38.88972; -77.00889
Type State of the Union Address
Participants John F. Kennedy
Lyndon B. Johnson
Sam Rayburn
Previous January 12, 1961 State of the Union Address
Next 1962 State of the Union Address

The second 1961 State of the Union Address was given by recently inaugurated president John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, on Monday, January 30, 1961, to the 87th United States Congress in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives. [2] It was Kennedy's first State of the Union Address, which was delivered only 18 days after outgoing President Dwight D. Eisenhower delivered his final State of the Union Address in writing. Presiding over this joint session was House speaker Sam Rayburn, accompanied by Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, in his capacity as the president of the Senate.

In the speech, Kennedy discussed his major goals for the next four years of his term. After calling the state of the American economy "disturbing" and "in trouble" as a result of the Recession of 1958, he discussed his plans for economic growth for the United States. He also urged attentiveness to the rising communist movements in China and Latin America. Kennedy described the state of the world as one fraught with danger and uncertainty, but he expressed confidence in the commitment of American government, the United Nations, and the notion of American freedom which he believed would serve as an inspiration during the Cold War. [1] Kennedy closed his speech by noting that January 30 was the birthday of former President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and he quoted from the conclusion to Roosevelt's 1945 State of the Union Address:

In the words of a great President, whose birthday we honor today, closing his final State of the Union Message sixteen years ago, "We pray that we may be worthy of the unlimited opportunities that God has given us." [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">State of the Union</span> Annual report by the president of the United States

The State of the Union Address is an annual message delivered by the president of the United States to a joint session of the United States Congress near the beginning of most calendar years on the current condition of the nation. The State of the Union Address generally includes reports on the nation's budget, economy, news, agenda, progress, achievements and the president's priorities and legislative proposals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second Bill of Rights</span> Proposed legislation in the US

The Second Bill of Rights or Bill of Economic Rights was proposed by United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt during his State of the Union Address on Tuesday, January 11, 1944. In his address, Roosevelt suggested that the nation had come to recognise and should now implement, a second "bill of rights". Roosevelt argued that the "political rights" guaranteed by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights had "proved inadequate to assure us equality in the pursuit of happiness". His remedy was to declare an "economic bill of rights" to guarantee these specific rights:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Day of Infamy speech</span> 1941 speech by President Franklin D. Roosevelt

The "Day of Infamy" speech, sometimes referred to as the Infamy speech, was a speech delivered by Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd president of the United States, to a joint session of Congress on December 8, 1941. The previous day, the Empire of Japan attacked United States military bases at Pearl Harbor and the Philippines, and declared war on the United States and the British Empire. The speech is known for its famed first line, which opened with Roosevelt saying, "Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy..."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John F. Kennedy</span> President of the United States from 1961 to 1963

John Fitzgerald Kennedy, often referred to as JFK, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was the youngest person elected president. Kennedy served at the height of the Cold War, and the majority of his foreign policy concerned relations with the Soviet Union and Cuba. A Democrat, Kennedy represented Massachusetts in both houses of the United States Congress prior to his presidency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inauguration of John F. Kennedy</span> 44th United States presidential inauguration

The inauguration of John F. Kennedy as the 35th president of the United States was held on Friday, January 20, 1961, at the East Portico of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. This was the 44th inauguration and marked the commencement of John F. Kennedy's and Lyndon B. Johnson's only term as president and vice president. Kennedy was assassinated 2 years, 306 days into this term, and Johnson succeeded to the presidency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Report to the American People on Civil Rights</span> 1963 Civil Rights speech by President John F. Kennedy

The Report to the American People on Civil Rights was a speech on civil rights, delivered on radio and television by United States President John F. Kennedy from the Oval Office on June 11, 1963, in which he proposed legislation that would later become the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Expressing civil rights as a moral issue, Kennedy moved past his previous appeals to legality and asserted that the pursuit of racial equality was a just cause. The address signified a shift in his administration's policy towards strong support of the civil rights movement and played a significant role in shaping his legacy as a proponent of civil rights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1995 State of the Union Address</span> Speech by US president Bill Clinton

The 1995 State of the Union Address was given by the 42nd president of the United States, Bill Clinton, on January 24, 1995, at 9:00 p.m. EST, in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives to the 104th United States Congress. It was Clinton's second State of the Union Address and his third speech to a joint session of the United States Congress. Presiding over this joint session was the House speaker, Newt Gingrich, accompanied by Al Gore, the vice president, in his capacity as the president of the Senate.

In American politics, the response to the State of the Union address is a rebuttal speech, often brief, delivered by a representative of an opposition party following a presidential State of the Union address. When the president is a Democrat, the rebuttal is typically given by a Republican, and vice versa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American University speech</span> 1963 speech given by John F. Kennedy

The American University speech, titled "A Strategy of Peace", was a commencement address delivered by United States President John F. Kennedy at the American University in Washington, D.C., on Monday, June 10, 1963. Widely considered one of the most powerful speeches Kennedy delivered, he not only outlined a plan to curb nuclear arms, but also "laid out a hopeful, yet realistic route for world peace at a time when the U.S. and Soviet Union faced the potential for an escalating nuclear arms race." In the speech, Kennedy announced his agreement to negotiations "toward early agreement on a comprehensive test ban treaty" and also announced, for the purpose of showing "good faith and solemn convictions", his decision to unilaterally suspend all U.S. atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons as long as all other nations would do the same. Noteworthy are his comments that the United States was seeking a goal of "complete disarmament" of nuclear weapons and his vow that America "will never start a war".

The 1964 State of the Union Address was given by Lyndon B. Johnson, the 36th president of the United States, on Wednesday, January 8, 1964, to the 88th United States Congress in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives. It was Johnson's first State of the Union Address and his second speech to a joint session of the United States Congress after the assassination of his predecessor John F. Kennedy in November 1963. Presiding over this joint session was House speaker John W. McCormack, accompanied by President pro tempore Carl Hayden, in his capacity as the acting president of the Senate since the office of Vice President was vacant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">We choose to go to the Moon</span> 1962 speech by U.S. President John F. Kennedy

"We choose to go to the Moon", formally the Address at Rice University on the Nation's Space Effort, was a speech on September 12, 1962 by United States President John F. Kennedy to bolster public support for his proposal to land a man on the Moon before 1970 and bring him safely back to Earth. Kennedy gave the speech, largely written by presidential advisor and speechwriter Ted Sorensen, to a large crowd at Rice University Stadium in Houston, Texas. In his speech, Kennedy characterized space as a new frontier, invoking the pioneer spirit that dominated American folklore. He infused the speech with a sense of urgency and destiny, and emphasized the freedom enjoyed by Americans to choose their destiny rather than have it chosen for them. Although he called for competition with the Soviet Union, Kennedy also proposed making the Moon landing a joint project. The speech resonated widely, although there was disquiet about the cost and value of the Moon-landing effort. Kennedy's goal was realized posthumously, in July 1969, with the Apollo program's successful Apollo 11 mission.

The presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson began on November 22, 1963, when Lyndon B. Johnson became the 36th president of the United States following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. His term ended on January 20, 1969.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 State of the Union Address</span> Speech by US president Donald Trump

The 2019 State of the Union Address was given by the 45th president of the United States, Donald Trump, on February 5, 2019, at 9:00 p.m. EST, in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives to the 116th United States Congress. It was Trump's second State of the Union Address and his third speech to a joint session of the United States Congress. Presiding over this joint session was the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, accompanied by Mike Pence, the vice president, in his capacity as the president of the Senate.

The following is a timeline of the presidency of Bill Clinton, from January 1, 1996, to December 31, 1996.

The following is a timeline of the presidency of John F. Kennedy from his inauguration as the 35th president of the United States on January 20, 1961, to December 31, 1961.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let Us Continue</span> 1963 speech by U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson

Let Us Continue is a speech that 36th President of the United States Lyndon B. Johnson delivered to a joint session of Congress on November 27, 1963, five days after the assassination of his predecessor John F. Kennedy. The almost 25-minute speech is considered one of the most important in his political career.

The 1981 State of the Union address was delivered by President Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States, to the 97th United States Congress in written format on January 16, 1981. In this address, Carter discussed economic issues as well as the Iranian hostage crisis. Carter began his speech with:

The State of the Union is sound. Our economy is recovering from a recession. A national energy plan is in place and our dependence on foreign oil is decreasing. We have been at peace for four uninterrupted years. But, our Nation has serious problems. Inflation and unemployment are unacceptably high. The world oil market is increasingly tight. There are trouble spots throughout the world, and 53 American hostages are being held in Iran against international law and against every precept of human affairs.

The 1965 State of the Union Address was given by Lyndon B. Johnson, the 36th president of the United States, on Monday, January 4, 1965, to the 89th United States Congress in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives. It was Johnson's second State of the Union Address. Presiding over this joint session was House speaker John W. McCormack, accompanied by President pro tempore Carl Hayden, in his capacity as the acting president of the Senate since the office of Vice President was vacant. To date, Carl Hayden is the last president pro tempore to preside at a State of the Union Address.

The 1962 State of the Union Address was given by John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, on Thursday, January 11, 1962, to the 87th United States Congress in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives. It was Kennedy's second State of the Union Address. Presiding over this joint session was newly elected House speaker John W. McCormack, accompanied by Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, in his capacity as the president of the Senate.

References

  1. 1 2 "January 30, 1961: State of the Union". Miller Center. University of Virginia. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  2. 1 2 Kennedy, John F. (January 30, 1961). "Annual Message to the Congress on the State of the Union". The American Presidency Project. Retrieved March 13, 2024.