100 Powerful JFK Quotes That Still Ring True Today

Words of wisdom from the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy

John F. Kennedy died more than a half-century ago (Nov. 22, 1963), but his legacy lives on. To honor America's 35th President of the United States, we're looking back on some of his most powerful quotes from his inauguration address and other landmark speeches. Though he spoke these words more than five decades ago, President Kennedy's thoughts on freedom, courage and morality feel just as relevant today. Here are the best JFK quotes.

Best John F. Kennedy Quotes

1. “If freedom is to survive and prosper, it will require the sacrifice, the effort and the thoughtful attention of every citizen.”

2. “The stories of past courage…can teach, they can offer hope, they can provide inspiration. But they cannot supply courage itself. For this, each man must look into his own soul."

3. "For in a democracy, every citizen, regardless of his interest in politics, 'hold office'; every one of us is in a position of responsibility; and, in the final analysis, the kind of government we get depends upon how we fulfill those responsibilities. We, the people, are the boss, and we will get the kind of political leadership, be it good or bad, that we demand and deserve."

4. "A man does what he must—in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures - and that is the basis of all human morality."

5. “Let us not emphasize all on which we differ but all we have in common. Let us consider not what we fear separately but what we share together.”

6. “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.”

7. “United there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided there is little we can do—for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder.”

8. “If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.”

9. “I think the American people expect more from us than cries of indignation and attack. The times are too grave, the challenge too urgent, and the stakes too high—to permit the customary passions of political debate. We are not here to curse the darkness, but to light the candle that can guide us through that darkness to a safe and sane future.”

10. “So let us begin anew—remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.”

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11. “That is the question of the New Frontier. That is the choice our nation must make—a choice that lies not merely between two men or two parties, but between the public interest and private comfort—between national greatness and national decline—between the fresh air of progress and the stale, dank atmosphere of "normalcy"—between determined dedication and creeping mediocrity. All mankind waits upon our decision. A whole world looks to see what we will do. We cannot fail their trust, we cannot fail to try.”

12. “Let both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science instead of its terrors. Together let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths and encourage the arts and commerce.”

13. “My fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”

14. "My fellow Americans, let us take that first step. Let us...step back from the shadow of war and seek out the way of peace. And if that journey is a thousand miles, or even more, let history record that we, in this land, at this time, took the first step."

15. "I have said that control of arms is a mission that we undertake particularly for our children and our grandchildren and that they have no lobby in Washington."

16. "If more politicians knew poetry, and more poets knew politics, I am convinced the world would be a little better place in which to live."

17. “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future."

18. "Children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future."

19. "For one true measure of a nation is its success in fulfilling the promise of a better life for each of its members. Let this be the measure of our nation."

20. "...I am certain that after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities, we, too, will be remembered not for victories or defeats in battle or in politics, but for our contribution to the human spirit."

21. "I have pledged myself and my colleagues in the cabinet to a continuous encouragement of initiative, responsibility and energy in serving the public interest. Let every public servant know, whether his post is high or low, that a man's rank and reputation in this Administration will be determined by the size of the job he does, and not by the size of his staff, his office or his budget.”

22. "The success of this Government, and thus the success of our Nation, depends in the last analysis upon the quality of our career services.”

23. "War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today."

24. "In the Chinese language, the word "crisis" is composed of two characters, one representing danger and the other, opportunity."

25. "Rising tide lifts all boats.”

26. "To further the appreciation of culture among all the people, to increase respect for the creative individual, to widen participation by all the processes and fulfillments of art - this is one of the fascinating challenges of these days."

27. "We can say with some assurance that, although children may be the victims of fate, they will not be the victims of our neglect."

28. "I look forward to an America which will not be afraid of grace and beauty...an America which will reward achievement in the arts as we reward achievement in business or statecraft."

29. "The Federal Budget can and should be made an instrument of prosperity and stability, not a deterrent to recovery."

30. "We must never forget that art is not a form of propaganda; it is a form of truth."

31. "The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining - by filling three basic gaps in our anti-recession protection."

32. "It may be different elsewhere. But democratic society - in it, the highest duty of the writer, the composer, the artist is to remain true to himself and to let the chips fall where they may."

33. "It is increasingly clear that no matter what party is in power, so long as our national security needs keep rising, an economy hampered by restrictive tax rates will never produce enough jobs or enough profits."

34. "Now let me make it clear that I believe there can only be one defense policy for the United States and that is summed up in the word 'first.' I do not mean first, but. I do not mean first, when. I do not mean first, if. I mean first — period."

35. "Too often in the past, we have thought of the artist as an idler and dilettante and of the lover of arts as somehow sissy and effete. We have done both an injustice. The life of the artist is, in relation to his work, stern and lonely. He has labored hard, often amid deprivation, to perfect his skill. He has turned aside from quick success in order to strip his vision of everything secondary or cheapening. His working life is marked by intense application and intense discipline."

36. "Our deep spiritual confidence that this nation will survive the perils of today — which may well be with us for decades to come — compels us to invest in our nation's future, to consider and meet our obligations to our children and the numberless generations that will follow."

37. "I have seen in many places housing which has been developed under government influences, but I have never seen any projects in which governments have played their part which have fountains and statues and grass and trees, which are as important to the concept of the home as the roof itself."

38. "In serving his vision of the truth, the artist best serves his nation."

39. "Our goal is not the victory of might but the vindication of right...not peace at the expense of freedom, but both peace and freedom, here in this hemisphere, and, we hope, around the world. God willing, that goal will be achieved."

40. "This country cannot afford to be materially rich and spiritually poor."

41. "And if we cannot end now our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity. For, in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal."

42. "We celebrate the past to awaken the future.”

43. "A nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces but also by the men it honors, the men it remembers.”

44. "A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on.”

45. "The life of the arts, far from being an interruption, a distraction, in the life of a nation, is very close to the center of a nation's purpose...and is a test of the quality of a nation's civilization."

46. "I can imagine a no more rewarding career. And any man who may be asked in this century what he did to make his life worthwhile, I think can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction: 'I served in the United States Navy.'"

47. "...what really counts is not the immediate act of courage or of valor, but those who bear the struggle day in and day out - not the sunshine patriots but those who are willing to stand for a long period of time."

48. "We have become more and more not a nation of athletes but a nation of spectators."

49. "I have a nice home, the office is close by, and the pay is good."

50. "When I ran for presidency of the United States, I knew that this country faced serious challenges, but I could not realize - nor could any man realize who does not bear the burdens of this office - how heavy and constant would be those burdens.”

51. "Let us not despair but act. Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past - let us accept our own responsibility for the future."

52. "But I think the American people expect more from us than cries of indignation and attack. The times are too grave, the challenge too urgent, and the stakes too high to permit the customary passions of political debate. We are not here to curse the darkness, but to light the candle that can guide us through that darkness to a safe and sane future.”

53. "And we must face the fact that the United States is neither omnipotent or omniscient — that we are only six percent of the world's population — that we cannot impose our will upon the other ninety-four percent of mankind — that we cannot right every wrong or reverse each adversity — and that therefore there cannot be an American solution to every world problem."

54. "For I can assure you that we love our country, not for what it was, though it has always been great — not for what it is, though of this we are deeply proud — but for what it someday can, and, through the efforts of us all, someday will be."

55. "But however close we sometimes seem to that dark and final abyss, let no man of peace and freedom despair. For he does not stand alone."

56. "Never before has man had such capacity to control his own environment, to end thirst and hunger, to conquer poverty and disease, to banish illiteracy and massive human misery. We have the power to make this the best generation of mankind in the history of the world - or make it the last."

57. "We must use time as a tool, not as a couch.”

58. "...we must think and act not only for the moment but for our time.”

59. "Dante once said that the hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in periods of moral crisis maintain their neutrality."

60. “It is an interesting biological fact that all of us have, in our veins the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and, therefore, we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea - whether it is to sail or to watch it - we are going back from whence we came."

61. "We set sail on this new sea because there is new knowledge to be gained, and new rights to be won, and they must be won and used for the progress of all people. For space science, like nuclear science and technology, has no conscience of its own. Whether it will become a force for good or ill depends on man, and only if the United States occupies a position of preeminence can we help decide whether this new ocean will be a sea of peace or a new terrifying theater of war."

62. "When at some future date the high court of history sits in judgment on each of us...our success or failure...will be measured by the answers to four questions: First, were we truly men of courage...? Secondly, were we truly men of judgment...? Third, were we truly men of integrity...? Finally, were we truly men of dedication...?"

63. "No country can possibly move ahead, no free society can possibly be sustained, unless it has an educated citizenry whose qualities of mind and heart permit it to take part in the complicated and increasingly sophisticated decisions that pour not only upon the President and upon the Congress, but upon all the citizens who exercise the ultimate power.”

64. "This is a great country and requires a good deal of all of us, so I can imagine nothing more important than for all of you to continue to work in public affairs and be interested in them, not only to bring up a family, but also give part of your time to your community, your state, and your country."

65. "This nation has tossed its cap over the wall of space, and we have no choice but to follow it."

66. "What we seek to advance, what we seek to develop in all of our colleges and universities, are educated men and women who can bear the burdens of responsible citizenship, who can make judgments about life as it is, and as it must be, and encourage the people to make those decisions which can bring not only prosperity and security, but happiness to the people of the United States and those who depend upon it."

67. "I ask particularly that those of you who are now in school will prepare yourselves to bear the burden of leadership over the next 40 years here in the United States, and make sure that the United States - which I believe almost alone has maintained watch and ward for freedom - that the United States meet its responsibility. That is a wonderful challenge for us as a people."

68. “Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names.”

69. “The rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened.”

70. “We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.”

71. “Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable."

72. “Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth.”

73. “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”

74. “The great enemy of truth is very often not the lie — deliberate, contrived and dishonest — but the myth — persistent, persuasive and unrealistic. Too often we hold fast to the cliches of our forebears. We subject all facts to a prefabricated set of interpretations. We enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.

75. “Victory has a hundred fathers and defeat is an orphan.”

76. “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”

77. “If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.”

78. “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.”

79. “[Public] libraries should be open to all—except the censor.”

80. “One person can make a difference, and everyone should try.”

81. “We must know all the facts and hear all the alternatives and listen to all the criticisms. Let us welcome controversial books and controversial authors. For the Bill of Rights is the guardian of our security as well as our liberty.”

82. “Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men.”

83. “Liberty without Learning is always in peril and Learning without Liberty is always in vain.”

84. “Mankind must put an end to war - or war will put an end to mankind.”

85. “I believe in an America that is officially neither Catholic, Protestant nor Jewish - where no public official either requests or accepts instructions on public policy from the Pope, the National Council of Churches or any other ecclesiastical source — where no religious body seeks to impose its will directly or indirectly upon the general populace or the public acts of its officials — and where religious liberty is so indivisible that an act against one church is treated as an act against all.”

86. “We cannot negotiate with people who say what's mine is mine and what's yours is negotiable."

87. “Peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process, gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding old barriers, quietly building new structures. And however undramatic the pursuit of peace, that pursuit must go on.”

88. “If not us, who? If not now, when?”

89. “A man does what he must — in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers, and pressures — and that is the basis of all human morality.”

90. “I'm an idealist without illusions.”

91. “Those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly.”

92. “Art is the great democrat, calling forth creative genius from every sector of society, disregarding race or religion or wealth or color.”

93. “The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all.”

94. “A child miseducated is a child lost.”

95. “Those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside.”

96. “So, let us not be blind to our differences--but let us also direct attention to our common interests and to the means by which those differences can be resolved.”

97. “When power leads man toward arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations. When power narrows the area of man's concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of existence. When power corrupts, poetry cleanses.”

98. “The supreme reality of our time is the vulnerability of our planet.”

99. “Not every child has an equal talent or an equal ability or equal motivation, but they should have the equal right to develop their talent and their ability and their motivation, to make something of themselves.”

100. “I look forward to a future in which our country will match its military strength with our moral restraint, its wealth with our wisdom, its power with our purpose.”

Want more quotes? Check out Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes.