AmericanRhetoric.

com
JohnF.Kennedy
InauguralAddress

DeliveredJanuary20,1961

AUTHENTICITYCERTIFIED:Textversionbelowtranscribeddirectlyfromaudio

VicePresidentJohnson,Mr.Speaker,Mr.ChiefJustice,PresidentEisenhower,VicePresident Nixon,PresidentTruman,ReverendClergy,fellowcitizens: Weobservetodaynotavictoryofparty,butacelebrationoffreedomsymbolizinganend, aswellasabeginningsignifyingrenewal,aswellaschange.ForIhaveswornbeforeyou andAlmightyGodthesamesolemnoathourforebearsprescribednearlyacenturyandthree quartersago. Theworldisverydifferentnow.Formanholdsinhismortalhandsthepowertoabolishall formsofhumanpovertyandallformsofhumanlife.Andyetthesamerevolutionarybeliefs forwhichourforebearsfoughtarestillatissuearoundtheglobethebeliefthattherightsof mancomenotfromthegenerosityofthestate,butfromthehandofGod. Wedarenotforgettodaythatwearetheheirsofthatfirstrevolution.Letthewordgoforth fromthistimeandplace,tofriendandfoealike,thatthetorchhasbeenpassedtoanew generationofAmericansborninthiscentury,temperedbywar,disciplinedbyahardand bitterpeace,proudofourancientheritage,andunwillingtowitnessorpermittheslow undoingofthosehumanrightstowhichthisnationhasalwaysbeencommitted,andtowhich wearecommittedtodayathomeandaroundtheworld. Leteverynationknow,whetheritwishesuswellorill,thatweshallpayanyprice,bearany burden,meetanyhardship,supportanyfriend,opposeanyfoe,toassurethesurvivalandthe successofliberty.

TranscriptionbyMichaelE.Eidenmuller. PropertyofAmericanR hetoric.com. Copyright2010.Allrightsreserved.

Page1

AmericanRhetoric.com
Thismuchwepledgeandmore. Tothoseoldallieswhoseculturalandspiritualoriginsweshare,wepledgetheloyaltyof faithfulfriends.Unitedthereislittlewecannotdoinahostofcooperativeventures.Divided thereislittlewecandoforwedarenotmeetapowerfulchallengeatoddsandsplit asunder. Tothosenewstateswhomwewelcometotheranksofthefree,wepledgeourwordthatone formofcolonialcontrolshallnothavepassedawaymerelytobereplacedbyafarmoreiron tyranny.Weshallnotalwaysexpecttofindthemsupportingourview.Butweshallalways hopetofindthemstronglysupportingtheirownfreedomandtorememberthat,inthe past,thosewhofoolishlysoughtpowerbyridingthebackofthetigerendedupinside. Tothosepeopleinthehutsandvillagesofhalftheglobestrugglingtobreakthebondsof massmisery,wepledgeourbesteffortstohelpthemhelpthemselves,forwhateverperiodis requirednotbecausetheCommunistsmaybedoingit,notbecauseweseektheirvotes, butbecauseitisright.Ifafreesocietycannothelpthemanywhoarepoor,itcannotsavethe fewwhoarerich. Tooursisterrepublicssouthofourborder,weofferaspecialpledge:toconvertourgood wordsintogooddeeds,inanewallianceforprogress,toassistfreemenandfree governmentsincastingoffthechainsofpoverty.Butthispeacefulrevolutionofhopecannot becomethepreyofhostilepowers.Letallourneighborsknowthatweshalljoinwiththemto opposeaggressionorsubversionanywhereintheAmericas.Andleteveryotherpowerknow thatthishemisphereintendstoremainthemasterofitsownhouse. Tothatworldassemblyofsovereignstates,theUnitedNations,ourlastbesthopeinanage wheretheinstrumentsofwarhavefaroutpacedtheinstrumentsofpeace,werenewour pledgeofsupporttopreventitfrombecomingmerelyaforumforinvective,tostrengthen itsshieldofthenewandtheweak,andtoenlargetheareainwhichitswritmayrun. Finally,tothosenationswhowouldmakethemselvesouradversary,weoffernotapledgebut arequest:thatbothsidesbeginanewthequestforpeace,beforethedarkpowersof destructionunleashedbyscienceengulfallhumanityinplannedoraccidentalselfdestruction. Wedarenottemptthemwithweakness.Foronlywhenourarmsaresufficientbeyonddoubt canwebecertainbeyonddoubtthattheywillneverbeemployed. Butneithercantwogreatandpowerfulgroupsofnationstakecomfortfromourpresent coursebothsidesoverburdenedbythecostofmodernweapons,bothrightlyalarmedby thesteadyspreadofthedeadlyatom,yetbothracingtoalterthatuncertainbalanceofterror thatstaysthehandofmankind'sfinalwar. Soletusbeginanewrememberingonbothsidesthatcivilityisnotasignofweakness,and sincerityisalwayssubjecttoproof.Letusnevernegotiateoutoffear,butletusneverfearto negotiate.

TranscriptionbyMichaelE.Eidenmuller. PropertyofAmericanR hetoric.com. Copyright2010.Allrightsreserved.

Page2

AmericanRhetoric.com
Letbothsidesexplorewhatproblemsuniteusinsteadofbelaboringthoseproblemswhich divideus. Letbothsides,forthefirsttime,formulateseriousandpreciseproposalsfortheinspection andcontrolofarms,andbringtheabsolutepowertodestroyothernationsundertheabsolute controlofallnations. Letbothsidesseektoinvokethewondersofscienceinsteadofitsterrors.Togetherletus explorethestars,conquerthedeserts,eradicatedisease,taptheoceandepths,and encouragetheartsandcommerce. Letbothsidesunitetoheed,inallcornersoftheearth,thecommandofIsaiahto"undothe heavyburdens,and[to]lettheoppressedgofree." And,ifabeachheadofcooperationmaypushbackthejungleofsuspicion,letbothsidesjoin increatinganewendeavornotanewbalanceofpower,butanewworldoflawwhere thestrongarejust,andtheweaksecure,andthepeacepreserved. Allthiswillnotbefinishedinthefirstonehundreddays.Norwillitbefinishedinthefirstone thousanddaysnorinthelifeofthisAdministrationnorevenperhapsinourlifetimeonthis planet.Butletusbegin. Inyourhands,myfellowcitizens,morethanmine,willrestthefinalsuccessorfailureofour course.Sincethiscountrywasfounded,eachgenerationofAmericanshasbeensummonedto givetestimonytoitsnationalloyalty.ThegravesofyoungAmericanswhoansweredthecall toservicesurroundtheglobe. Nowthetrumpetsummonsusagainnotasacalltobeararms,thougharmsweneednot asacalltobattle,thoughembattledwearebutacalltobeartheburdenofalongtwilight struggle,yearinandyearout,"rejoicinginhopepatientintribulation,"astruggleagainst thecommonenemiesofman:tyranny,poverty,disease,andwaritself. Canweforgeagainsttheseenemiesagrandandglobalalliance,NorthandSouth,Eastand West,thatcanassureamorefruitfullifeforallmankind?Willyoujoininthathistoriceffort? Inthelonghistoryoftheworld,onlyafewgenerationshavebeengrantedtheroleof defendingfreedominitshourofmaximumdanger.IdonotshrinkfromthisresponsibilityI welcomeit.Idonotbelievethatanyofuswouldexchangeplaceswithanyotherpeopleor anyothergeneration.Theenergy,thefaith,thedevotionwhichwebringtothisendeavorwill lightourcountryandallwhoserveit.Andtheglowfromthatfirecantrulylighttheworld. Andso,myfellowAmericans,asknotwhatyourcountrycandoforyouaskwhatyoucando foryourcountry. Myfellowcitizensoftheworld,asknotwhatAmericawilldoforyou,butwhattogetherwe candoforthefreedomofman.

TranscriptionbyMichaelE.Eidenmuller. PropertyofAmericanR hetoric.com. Copyright2010.Allrightsreserved.

Page3

AmericanRhetoric.com
Finally,whetheryouarecitizensofAmericaorcitizensoftheworld,askofusherethesame highstandardsofstrengthandsacrificewhichweaskofyou.Withagoodconscienceouronly surereward,withhistorythefinaljudgeofourdeeds,letusgoforthtoleadthelandwelove, askingHisblessingandHishelp,butknowingthathereonearthGod'sworkmusttrulybeour own.

Isaiah58:6(KingJamesVersionoftheHolyBible) Romans12:12(KingJamesVersionoftheHolyBible)

TranscriptionbyMichaelE.Eidenmuller. PropertyofAmericanR hetoric.com. Copyright2010.Allrightsreserved.

Page4