On March 23, 1962 President John F. Kennedy addressed a Charter Day crowd of 88,000 in Memorial Stadium that included Gov. Edmund Brown, UC President Clark Kerr and the newly inaugurated third chancellor of UC Berkeley, Edward Strong.
I was there, 9 years old, with my parents and sister. After seeing Kennedy so much on our black and white TV, we were surprised that he had reddish hair when wet saw him in person here at Memorial Stadium. What a privilege to be there. Even at that young age, Kennedy was a hero to me.
I saw JFK on the day he gave this speech in March of 1962. Air Force One landed at NAS Alameda. My school was along the route he took to reach the Berkeley campus and his limousine drove right by us kids as we clapped and waved at him. I remember it it like it was yesterday. It truly was a special moment.
I was fortunate to be in attendance with my father and brothers. Hearing the words spoken against the backdrop of the political discourse of today make me weep for the current state of the nation.
I read this speech in its original form at the library at UC Berkeley (with his hand written side notes). Such a beautiful feeling to touch an inspiring piece of history.
I was there, too. I was born and raised in Berkeley. I was 9 and in 5th grade at Cragmont Elementary just a couple of miles up the road from campus. It was very inspiring event. Just living in Berkeley then was inspiring all by itself. A time like no other anywhere.
I was born in Berkeley, and 13 at the time of President Kennedy's Charter Day address. My parents and grandparents made sure we went to hear "Our President" speak when he came to town, even though they all voted for Nixon. Sadly, I can't imagine that happening today in our divided body politic climate. Still have my black and white photos from that day which I cherish!!
What is interesting here is that the date of this speech is March, 1962. Many people say that JFK was a cold warrior until the Cuban Missile Crisis & then afterwards because of that experience moved toward peace. But here you have a speech prior to the crisis and he is talking about cooperation and the pursuit of peace, which sounds much like his American University speech of June, 1963. I have never believed this view of JFK, that he came in a cold warrior and then changed. Here is proof.
He worried about being elected so he had the rhetoric to match to go up against Nixon who of course was a staunch Republican he said what he said so he could get elected and thank God he was
Aye Johnny!-we hardly knew ye-but the small, poisonous men that cut you down will forever lie like so much chaff at your feet. We can only hope that your country will one day admit that crime and continual cover-up which has caused tremendous self inflicted damage and loss of moral authority.Your country will never see your like again-nor do they deserve to until that guilt is acknowledged.50 years and sadly still no sign that it will happen.
I was there as a ten year old, one of two representatives of my elementary school in Sunnyvale, California. A bus picked up two kids each from grade schools all over the Peninsula and took us to the UC Berkeley football stadium, where we sat on chairs on the field, pretty close to the lectern. Mostly I remember the huge crowd, the excitement of seeing the President and how close we were to him. A day or two later there was an assembly at our school and the other kid (a sixth--grader) and I had to make an oral report to all the 4th-6th graders about the President's speech. Of course it went way over my head but I remember JFK talked about the Soviets, the threat of nuclear war and space exploration. It's fantastic to come across this now after all these years and remember the enthusiasm shown by the crowd for our youthful, eloquent president.
For all his faults, JFK could still inspire, as he does here. To measure what we've lost with his death, try to imagine a current president speaking like this.
@@johnnotrealname8168 He saved yr ass from a nuclear catastrophe in 1962. He signed the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. He gave the impetus to the moon flight. He began the federal government's involvement in civil rights for black Americans. Not a bad record for three years in office.
@@johnnotrealname8168 Started space exploration, got the ball rolling on civil rights, started the Peace Corps and the Green Berets, spoke for conservation....yeah, didn't achieve anything.
Kennedy did come into the presidency elected as a Cold Warrior. He outdid Nixon in hawkish words during the campaign. But, after he went through the disastrous Bay of Pigs in April 1961, he started to distrust his military and CIA advisors. That bode well for the nation with the Oct. 1962 Cuban Missle Crisis. One of his long-term paramours was Mary Pinchot Meyer who influenced him to move more in the direction of peace instead of war. She unfortunately met the same fate as JFK on Oct. 12, 1964 in Washington, DC. Her ex-husband was CIA operative Cord Meyer, and she and Cord had known JFK since the late-1940s when he was a congressman. After Mary's murder, Cord was asked who did it. He said, "The same SOBs who killed JFK." Peter Janney's book about Mary Meyer and JFK, published in Oct. 2013 , is "Mary's Mosaic: The CIA Conspiracy to Murder John F. Kennedy, Mary Pinchot Meyer, and Their Vision for World Peace." www.amazon.com/Marys-Mosaic-Conspiracy-Kennedy-Pinchot/dp/1626361274
Dr. John F Kennedy, President of the United States. The university faculty were proud of him being part of their class. They conferred upon him the degree of Doctor Honoris Causa.
This is the fourth time I know of that JFK pitched the idea of a joint effort to explore the new frontier of space. First June 1961 summit in Vienna. Second, a March 1962 letter to Khrushchev. Third 1963 speech at the UN.
Unless by threat of violence, there is no way, either in our country, or elsewhere, that some 90,000 people would gather today to see/hear their leader. "fokjock", who commented previously, is exact and poignant in his remarks, espeically the words: "....We can only hope that your country will one day admit that crime and continual cover-up which has caused tremendous self inflicted damage and loss of moral authority. Your country will never see your like again - nor do they deserve to until that guilt is acknowledged..." To this I add: And until that day, the government shall never regain the respect of our adversaries, the admiration of our allies and the trust of it's own people.
Does anyone know the name of the song at 17:00? Because of the use of an organ, it sounds like a religious song, but that is hard to believe in a university ceremony.
O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Our shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal home. Under the shadow of Thy throne Thy saints have dwelt secure; Sufficient is Thine arm alone, And our defense is sure. Before the hills in order stood, Or earth received her frame, From everlasting Thou art God, To endless years the same. Thy Word commands our flesh to dust, "Return, ye sons of men:" All nations rose from earth at first, And turn to earth again... A hymn by Isaac Watts that paraphrases the 90th Psalm of the Book of Psalms.
Yes, and the difference between Ronald Reagan and JFK was that JFK appealed to the most positive aspects in human nature -- and Ronald Reagan appealed to the worst. Also, JFK did not have to be pulled and cajoled to the peace table as Reagan was. Reagan was backward in his thinking and JFK was progressive.
sorry, that is just wrong. Reagan knew he needed to begin from a position of strength foremost. Kennedy's actions brought on an entirely avoidable Cuban Missile Crisis. Kennedy said as much himself. Krushchev was convinced that Kennedy was weak and would settle for a settlement at any price, including a significant tactical defeat in Cuba. Kennedy painted himself into a corner of "toughness" as the only possible resolution to the crisis in the most dangerous manner possible. Miscalculation by Russia, rooted in lack of clarity and credibility by Kennedy, i.e. long on charisma, but less certain or resolute in policy choices. Cuba was not a roaring success at all, leading to pledges to allow Castro to foment troubles unmolested, and causing the US to withdraw proposals for other forward based weapons intended for the protection of Western Europe. These were not insignificant. Lesson learned the hard way: Far better to demonstrate resolve first and forestall the avoidable confrontation.
When I listen to President Kennedy speak, then hear that orangutan we had to endure for four years. I wonder why we allowed someone like him to become our leader. Thank God those days have come and gone for good! Lesson learned.
that decade that suit. blues man suit. the blues Brothers. that decade that suit and tie that will be my uniform for president black suit black tie and white shirt. Mikey had one in godfather ll that damn suit that decade. black suit black tie and white shirt and sensible shoes iam making my hit. it's. s. a. I. n. t. saint calories day it's this God the Father ll Mikey engineer notebook.
ask the family members of the brave Cuban dissidents left on their own to death or horrific imprisonment for resisting Castro's brutality under the mistaken assumption that they could count on Kennedy's promises.
