“This nation was founded by men of many nations and backgrounds. It was founded on the principle that all men are created equal, and that the rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened. Today we are committed to a worldwide struggle to promote and protect the rights of all who wish to be free. When Americans are sent to Vietnam or West Berlin, we do not ask for whites only. It ought to be possible, therefore, for American students of any color to attend any public institution they select without having to be backed up by troops.” Who made the statement above?
Explanation
Answer: B - The statement above was made by President John F. Kennedy on June 11, 1963, in a televised national address on civil rights. The American students to whom he was referring were James Hood and Vivian Malone, two African-American students attempting to enroll at the University of Alabama. When Alabama Governor George Wallace stood in the doorway of the school to symbolically bar their admission, Kennedy federalized the Alabama National Guard to escort Hood and Malone into the school. The event compelled him to draft the Civil Rights Act, which was passed by Congress in 1964, after Kennedy’s death.
