John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King jr Essay

John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King jr - Essay Example As a result of their public awareness campaigns, the populous began questioning traditional values leading to emergence of new movements. The changes in the USA were part of a larger global trend that influenced humanity as a whole. During this period, there was the Cold War and Vietnam War, construction of the Berlin Wall in addition to the gaining of independence by former colonies was constructed. Therefore, John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. were a part of global revolutionists who were able to go with the changing nature of the world. John F. Kennedy John F. Kennedy, known as Jack by members of family and close friends was born on May 29, 1917, in Brookline, Massachusetts to Joseph and Rose Kennedy a family of Irish Catholics (â€Å"John F. Kennedy†). Being from a wealthy family background, he grew up in a favorable environment where he was assured of the best educational facilities in addition to having a conducive economic and social environment given that he an d his siblings enjoyed the luxuries of attending elite private schools, sailboats, summers homes as well as having servants to tend to their needs ("John Fitzgerald"). Although he suffered various illnesses and health complications in the course of his childhood, these setbacks did not curtail John F. Kennedy’s educational ambitions as he was able to join Harvard University in 1936 (Kenney 12). During his Harvard University days, Kennedy’s father was the U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain, from where Kennedy gathered resources for his final thesis. Kennedy returned to the USA to finish his senior Harvard University where he worked on his thesis that afterwards amended and published with the title Why England Slept in which examines how the British government reacted to Hitler’s rise to power before, during and after the world war two. After Harvard University education, Kennedy enlisted into the American Navy in 1941 which catapulted him to national prominence whe n his motor torpedo boat PT 109 was sunk by a Japanese destroyer. Kennedy’s heroic act when he saved one remember of his crew although he had also sustained injuries in his back made him achieve greater accolades from the US public. Describing Kennedy’s actions Dallek sees Kennedy as the best unifying instance of American egalitarianism (98). Many in the US saw Kennedy as embodying how the country’s social relations between the rich and poor should function being child from a wealthy family who made a choice to voluntarily risk his life in the name of nation. Although, his family was grooming his elder brother, for political office, Kennedy was convinced by his family and friends to take a political career after his brother Joe died in the Second World War (Dallek 117). After the war, Kennedy’s main career objective was to join journalism profession where his first assignment was at the United Nations Conference in San Francisco as well as covering Potsda m Conference. A key element that made Kennedy’s political career in congressional, senatorial and presidential positions a success was his family’s wealth, influential national status and prestige in addition to the tales of his heroic acts during the world war two. Barnes notes financial support was central to Kennedy’s success in all these campaigns with his father being in charge of all financial