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Art and Social Change
Kennedy considered America’s artistic achievements expressions of American freedom. “Above all,” he wrote, “the arts incarnate the creativity of a free society.” Writers, artists, and performers expressed that freedom by pushing for social change as Kennedy faced the two main challenges of his administration: the Cold War and the civil rights movement.
Kennedy’s State Department sent prominent performing artists on worldwide tours to showcase American talent and creativity abroad. For Black performers who toured, the trips were chances to bridge cultural divides, absorb the musical styles of their host countries, and advocate for the civil rights movement. At home, artists, writers, and performers including Harry Belafonte and James Baldwin supported civil rights both through their work and as activists.
Kennedy acknowledged, “if sometimes our great artists have been the most critical of our society, it is because their sensitivity and their concern for justice…makes him aware that our nation falls short of its highest potential.” |