In light of the presidency discussion that we have been having in class, I would bring up a discussion about presidents from the black american standpoint. According to Lee A. Daniels, a longtime journalist based in New York City, Black America considers John F. Kennedy to be the best post-slavery president to ever live. All Americans were excited by JFK's vibrant persona and his promise to the people to bring America to a "new frontier". I believe Black Americans saw this as an opportunity to make sure that their civil rights were the focal point of his plans for the country. Sit-ins, non-violent protests, violent protests, and freedom rides made it impossible for JFK to ignore the aspirations of african americans without the country going into complete turmoil. I'm not trying to take anything away from the great commitment that John F. Kennedy made to Black America to make a change for the betterment of this country. I just want to make sure that it is understood that the amazing struggle that black activists, such as Ralph Abernathy, Malcolm X, and Marcus Garvey went through, then civil rights for African Americans may not have been of too much importance of the time. John F. Kennedy's use of his executive power made the black power movement powerful on another level, and that may be the very reason that he is considered the Great White Hope of Black Americans. The President's commitment on either side of significant social issues is no doubt the most important part of his job. No matter what, if the president can pick a argument that he truly believes will solve the issue, he can say that he did his job: Make tough decisions.
http://www.newpittsburghcourieronline.com/index.php/opinion/19289-jfk-black-america-s-great-white-hope
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