JFK’s daughter urges mayors to drive change

Fifty-six years ago, President John F. Kennedy urged U.S. mayors assembled at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki to take the lead on civil rights issues.

On Saturday, former U.S. Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy appeared at the same venue to call on a new generation of city executives to heed her father’s call to step up to resolve today’s pressing problems.

The president’s June 9, 1963, address at the U.S. Conference of Mayors is considered one of his most seminal speeches. He used the occasion to announce a program of five federal initiatives aimed at helping African­ Americans find success in education and employment, Caroline Kennedy said.

“But he made clear that the moral and constitutional crisis of civil rights had to be solved by citizens and their leaders in communities across the United States,” she told the U.S. Conference of Mayors 87th annual meeting. “The federal government would help, he said, but the final responsibility would rest with you as mayors on a local level.”

JFK’s message at the 1963 mayors’ conference still resonates, she said. “Despite the progress we’ve made, not enough has changed. Racism is still the unfinished business of America.”

The times have changed and the nation’s mayors no longer look to the federal government for support, she said.

“Today, in many cases, it’s the reverse. Whether it’s on climate change, immigration or education, mayors are leading on the issues and working to build safer, more just, more resilient, more prosperous and inclusive communities,” she said. “Not only is Washington sometimes not helping, it’s asking you to do more with less.”

Kennedy’s message appeared to touch many in the crowd of 220-plus mayors and more than 1,000 aides and support staff.

Rodney Craig, village president of Hanover Park, Ill., said 40% of his community is Hispanic and about half of that segment comprises undocumented immigrants.

“So when issues of threatening language (against immigrants) come out, we have to find a way to talk about civility, working with all our residents, to become comfortable enough to become citizens, and to not live in fear,” Craig said.

Several resolutions voicing objections to the Trump administration’s immigration policies are to go before the conference for votes on Monday.

Hardie Davis, mayor of Augusta, Ga., and president of the African American Mayors Association, said Kennedy’s remarks taught him and other mayors about President Kennedy’s 1963 speech in Hawaii and its significance to the civil rights movement.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell, host of this year’s conference meeting, said mayors have been guiding government policy in the U.S. for a number of years now.

“A lot of the ideas that move our country forward come out of cities,” he said. “They don’t come out of Washington or even state capitols. Particularly now, we have a federal government that’s not really leading very much.”

On the issue of climate change, “the federal government has stepped back and doesn’t want to do anything, where you now have mayors from almost every major city in the country and small cities stepping up to say we’re going to address the issue of our time, the crisis of our time. We’re leading in that.”

Also speaking at the mayors conference Saturday was Karen Pence, wife of Vice President Mike Pence. She urged the mayors to support legislation and programs that help military spouses find meaningful jobs.

“It’s important that we support not only our troops, but their spouses and children who serve also,” said Pence, whose son Michael is a Marine. “It should be our top priority to take care of them so that our service members can remain focused on their missions to protect our freedoms.”

Pence, the honorary co-chairwoman of the Blue Star Families Museums Program, also asked the mayors to support the program, which works to make it easier for military families to visit U.S. museums during the summer.

“You serve as important partners to our country’s success,” she said. “You’re right there on the front lines, and I want you to know that we appreciated the work that you pour into your cities to enhance the quality of life for Americans.”

Pence also toured Pearl Harbor Saturday and visited with military families.