sense of urgency about the situation because Wallace was attempting to undermine the president’ s leadership. However, Schlesinger suggested, Kennedy reinforced his superiority over the Governor and forced him to back down after the President federalised the Alabama Guards. This also expressed a firm stance in support of the African-American students. 54 As with the legislative efforts, Sorensen and Schlesinger strengthened the positive perception of Kennedy by presenting him as a firm supporter of civil rights.
Conclusion
Sorensen’ s and Schlesinger’ s memoirs presented Kennedy as a near-perfect president. By studying these texts, which featured prominently on best-seller lists, one can understand why resolving the missile crisis, proposing civil rights legislation, and desegregating universities are remembered as Kennedy ' s three greatest achievements as president. Both authors argued that only Kennedy could have resolved the missile crisis peacefully and was morally committed to civil rights. While the historical accuracy of these texts should not be neglected, it is important to remember that they were written with an agenda: both authors helped shape Kennedy ' s policies and admitted they wished to preserve his legacy. These texts are not solely responsible for modern attitudes about Kennedy, but they provide a unique insight into early perceptions about the Kennedy presidency and into how many Americans came to define his legacy.
54 Ibid., 821.
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