"'The time has come for this nation to fulfill its promise.' John F. Kennedy was born one hundred years ago. As America's thirty-fifth president, he often took bold actions: establishing a peace corps and challenging Americans to land on the moon. But on civil rights, it took the urging and the example of other courageous people--leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Jackie Robinson, and even students and children--to help him realize that the time to act was now. On June 11, 1963, Kennedy's 'big speech'--his civil rights address--was a game changer, and his efforts laid the groundwork for the Civil Rights Act of 1964--but our country's work is not finished"--
