JarrodFredericks

TheKennedyPresidency
July22,2015
TheArtsasNecessityintheUnitedStates
JohnF.KennedyspokemanytimesonadvancesnecessaryfortheUnited
States,necessarytomaintainitsplaceofleadershipintheworldandtomaintain
thequalityoflifethatAmericansenjoyed.Theseadvancementsweretobemade
inamultitudeoffields,frommilitaryanddefensetotechnologyandeducation.
OnefieldgrewfrompassiveKennedysupporttoafullgovernmentinitiative,that
ofartsandculture.Whileathisinauguraladdress,Kennedyspokeofthepower
toabolishallformsofhumanpovertyandallformsofhumanlife,andhedidso
whilejoinedbythegreatestnumberofartisticpersonseverinvitedtoa
presidentialinauguration.1Thistacitsupportoftheartswhiledeliveringaspeech
detailingthepowerofhumanityhighlightstheimportancethatKennedyplaced
uponculture,animportanceshownthroughtheinvitationofsomanyartists,the
transformationoftheWhiteHouseintoaculturalheadquarters,andthe
developmentofafederalinitiativeforthearts.
Dr.DonnaM.Binkiewicz,historianatCaliforniaStateUniversity,Long
Beach,wroteoftheinaugurationasamovetoeliminateburdensomesocialand
culturalconstraintsimposedbytheColdWar.2Themovementtointroduce

JohnF.KennedysInauguralAddress(January20,1961),
http://millercenter.org/president/speeches/speech3365.
2
DonnaM.Binkiewicz,FederalizingtheMuse:UnitedStatesArtsPolicyandtheNationalEndowmentfor
theArts,19651980(ChapelHill,NC:UniversityofNorthCarolinaPress,2004),45.

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artisticabilitybackintoAmericanlifebeganwithaspeechbypoetRobertFrost
attheinauguration.WhileFrostwasunabletocontinuewithanoriginalspeech
writtenfortheoccasionandrelieduponhispreviousworkTheGiftOutright,the
inclusionofFrost,painters,authors,museumcurators,andotherpersonalities
revealedthechangesthatKennedywishedtomakeintheprioritiesoftheUnited
States.FrostremainedanexampleofartistachievementforKennedy,as
Kennedywouldlatercallhimacontributiontothedeepestsourcesofour
nationalstrength.3Kennedysawtheartistasaherooftheindividualpersonand
aguardagainstacontrollinggovernment,thatcitizensneededtheartisttohave
agreatsociety.Kennedywouldrelyonartiststohimselftoprovidespiritualand
politicalsupport,throughvisitstotheWhiteHouseinpersonalandpublicevents.
TheKennedyWhiteHousewasanewbuildingunderthePresidentand
FirstLady.Mrs.Kennedyreplacedstodgystatereceptionswithelegantcultural
soir

esandtheKennedyfamilydinedwithpoets,painters,andballetdirectors.4
Whileservingashoststoculturalicons,theKennedysgainedpoliticalandpublic
favorthroughpositivereceptionsbyinternationalleadersandnationalmedia.
TheseeventsenabledPresidentKennedytobuildanimageofrefinement,
symbolsofwealthandpowertotheworld.Theeventsalsoprovidedan
additionalplatformforthepresidenttospeakonfreedomandanimproved
America,astheseartistswereamongthemostvocalagainstpreviousnational

JohnF.Kennedy,RemarksatAmherstCollege(October26,1963),
http://millercenter.org/president/kennedy/speeches/speech3379
4
Binkiewicz,FederalizingtheMuse,47.

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policy.TherecognitionofculturaliconssuchasJohnSteinbeckandPablo
CasalsgaveKennedynewsupportwhencreatingnationalinitiatives.5
AmongtheseinitiativeswasthecreationofaSpecialConsultantonthe
ArtstothePresident.Thispositionenabledthepresidenttousetheartstogrant
AmericansabetterlifeathomeandAmericaabetterrelationshipabroad.6This
desireforahigherqualityoflifeforAmericansisreflectedinKennedysRemarks
atAmherstCollegeinOctoberof1963.Americahadbeengrowingmore
powerfulafterWorldWarIIanditsleadershipwerebeinginfluencedbythe
power.Whenpowercorrupts,poetrycleansesandanationalmovement
towardstheartswouldhelptocleanseAmericaofitscorruptionandfailureto
reachitshighestpotential.7Kennedydesiredanationalgovernmentthatcould
leadtheworldinbothpowerandproperapplicationofthatpower,inorderenable
peaceandfreedom.Thereweretangiblebenefitsinafederalinitiativeforthe
arts,inservicetothenationandtheworld.Theartsweretoservethepowerof
theUnitedStates,asumgreaterthanitsparts.
Theartsasasourceofpowerservedasathemeinnumerousactionsand
speechesofJohnF.Kennedy.Hischoicesathisinauguration,intheWhite
House,andinhispublicwordsallshowacommitmenttoexpandingAmerican
cultureforthebettermentofthenationanditscitizens.Hesawtheartsas
necessaryfortheUnitedStatestoserveasaresponsibleleaderinanewworld
ofmilitarymightandadvancedtechnologies,ofpowerthateasilycorrupted.
5

Binkiewicz,FederalizingtheMuse,4548.
Ibid.,52.
7
Kennedy,RemarksatAmherst.
6

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