Monday, September 12, 1960: JFK on religion

In a speech to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association in Texas, Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kennedy addresses the issue of religion in the campaign -- specifically, his relationship with the Vatican and whether he as a Roman Catholic would respect the separation of church and state. (This is also known as the "I Believe in an America" speech.)

* Transcript, audio and partial footage (from American Rhetoric): @

* Complete footage, plus question and answer session (from C-SPAN): @

* Earlier JFK speech on "The Religious Issue in American Politics" (April 21, 1960; from National Archives): @

* "Background Memorandum Prepared by Democratic National Committee" (from The American Presidency Project): @
* "Competence, Catholicity and the Candidates" (chapter from "Packaging the Presidency: A History and Criticism of Presidential Campaign Advertising" (Kathleen Hall Jameson, 1984): @

* "The Religious Factor in the 1960 Presidential Election" (Albert J. Menendez, 2011): @
* "The Making of a Catholic President: Kennedy vs. Nixon 1960" (Shaun A. Casey, 2009): @
* Commentaries on speech (from thecatholicthing.org): @

* "Did JFK have a greater impact on religion than any other modern president?" (Dallas Morning News, 2013): @
* "Anti-Catholic Movement" (from "The Oxford Companion to United States History"): @

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