Who is President John F. Kennedy from A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr and what is their importance?

John F. Kennedy was elected President in the middle of the civil rights effort. He had an opportunity to do much good in insisting on enforcement of laws and Supreme Court decrees. He was not vigilant in this. He did not voluntarily submit civil rights bills to congress, believing that they were impossible to pass. He backed away from his campaign promise to solve housing problems, and when he did sign it two years later, it lacked provisions to prevent discrimination. He began the process of integrating the civil service. Kennedy was assassinated 22 November, 1963.