Our Fellow AmericanThe late President John Fitzgerald Kennedy once said, “Sure, it's a big job; but I don’t know anyone who can do it better than me” (“John F. Kennedy” BrainyQuote.com). Kennedy was a young and fresh political figure at the time of his election in 1960. The thirty-fifth President of the United States was born on May 29, 1917, in Brookline, Massachusetts. He was the youngest president ever, as well as the first and only Catholic president (Bass, et al.). His presidency was cut short by an assassin on November 22, 1963 in Dallas, Texas. Kennedy preceded his presidency with a term in the U.S. House of Representatives (1947-1953) and a term in the U.S. Senate (1953-1961) (“John F. Kennedy” History.com). Kennedy, a charismatic and energetic leader, was loved by the American people. He had many plans for his term, some of which he was able to carry out personally, while others were left to his vice president, Lyndon B. Johnson. Although his life was tragically cut short, John F. Kennedy left an indelible mark on the United States of America, in and out of the Oval Office. The 1960s were a time full of discord and social upheaval. Civil rights, the Cold War and other issues awaited the man deemed worthy to assume the presidency. After being elected, JFK, with the help of his vice president, Lyndon B. Johnson, immediately set to work on these and other issues plaguing the United States at the time (Bass, et al). Although Kennedy is often credited with his passage of the Civil Rights Act, it was signed into law largely thanks to Johnson (Bass, et al). The Civil Rights Act was passed after Kennedy's death, but not because Kennedy was not a staunch defender of its principles. Warren Kozak of...... middle of paper ......t of the Peace Corps." Department of State Auditorium, Washington DC March 1, 1961. Speech. Kennedy, John F. "Special Message to the Congress on Urgent national needs. " Capitol Building, Washington DC, May 25, 1961. Speech. Kozak, Warren. “The 24 Hours That Shook U.S. Race Relations.” Wall Street Journal. June 11, 2013: A.15. SIRS Issues Researcher . Web. November 12, 2013. Naylor, Brian. "How the Kennedy Assassination Changed the Secret Service, November 7, 2013. Web November 18, 2013. Schmitt, Mark "50 Years Later, What JFK Can Do for Us." Learn About Secret Service Expertise." Government | Next New Deal. " 50 Years Later, What JFK Can Teach Us About Government Expertise | Next New Deal. Np, June 14, 2012. Web. November 12, 2013. Voyles, Bennet. “Fifty years after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Culture of political celebrity is almost over.” The Economic Times. Np, November 17, 2013. Web. November 17. 2013.