Profiles in Courage
"Profiles in Courage" is a book authored by John F. Kennedy, published in January 1956, which examines the lives of eight U.S. politicians who demonstrated remarkable political courage at pivotal moments in their careers. The work emerged after Kennedy, during a period of recovery from surgery, expanded an initial idea for a magazine article into a full-length study. The politicians featured include figures like Daniel Webster, who prioritized principle over personal gain, and Robert Taft, who took a controversial stand against the Nuremberg Trials based on legal reasoning. The book's exploration of these themes resonated widely, receiving critical acclaim and winning the Pulitzer Prize for biography in 1957. Its success helped redefine Kennedy's public image, portraying him as a serious political figure, and contributed to his re-election as a senator in 1958 and his subsequent presidential campaign in 1960. "Profiles in Courage" underscores the importance of integrity and conviction in political life, providing insight into the complexities and challenges faced by leaders when upholding their beliefs.
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Profiles in Courage
Identification Collection of political essays
Date Published in 1956
Author John F. Kennedy
This study of American politicians who risked their careers to defend their principles received a Pulitzer Prize in 1957 and helped lift Kennedy to national prominence.
Key Figures
John F. Kennedy (1917-1963), political biographer and future U.S. president
In 1954, John F. Kennedy, then a first-term U.S. senator from Massachusetts, conceived an idea for a magazine article profiling several prominent politicians who took political risks to defend principles that were fundamental to the preservation of the American republic. When a series of back operations during the mid-1950’s left Kennedy bedridden, he decided to use his period of convalescence to expand the article idea into a full-length book.
Profiles in Courage was a collection of essays focusing on critical junctures in the careers of eight U.S. politicians in which each had demonstrated exceptional political courage, a quality that Kennedy believed was lacking in many of his contemporaries. Among his subjects were Daniel Webster, who sacrificed a chance to become president by defending the Compromise of 1850, and Robert Taft, a Republican senator who opposed the Nuremberg Trials of Nazi war criminals on legal grounds. The book was published in January of 1956 to much critical acclaim and quickly became a best-seller, winning the Pulitzer Prize for biography in 1957.
Impact
The success of Profiles in Courage helped establish Kennedy as a nationally known political figure with the potential to become president by dispelling popular perceptions of him as an affable playboy who lacked the initiative and intellectual rigor to hold higher office. This boost to Kennedy’s reputation helped re-elect him to the Senate in 1958 and helped provide the basis for his election to the U.S. presidency in 1960.
Bibliography
Dallek, Robert. An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963. New York: Little, Brown, 2003. Biography of Kennedy reveals previously unpublished details of his life and career.
Reeves, Richard. Profile of Power. New York: Touchstone Books, 1994. Discusses the relevance of Profiles in Courage to the Kennedy presidency.