The Kennedy Half Century

Grow your skills with Coursera Plus for $239/year (usually $399). Save now.

The Kennedy Half Century

Instructor: Professor Larry J. Sabato

27,083 already enrolled

Included with

Learn more

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

505 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

9 hours to complete

Learn at your own pace

97%

Most learners liked this course

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

505 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

9 hours to complete

Learn at your own pace

97%

Most learners liked this course

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

1 assignment

Taught in English

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Learn more about Coursera for Business

logos of Petrobras, TATA, Danone, Capgemini, P&G and L'Oreal

There are 4 modules in this course

When John F. Kennedy entered the presidential limousine at Love Field in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963, he began his ride into history. That journey continues even today and we call it the Kennedy legacy.

This course will explore the Presidency, assassination, and lasting legacy of President John F. Kennedy. Students will learn how JFK’s life, administration, and tragic death have influenced the general public, the media, and each of the nine U.S. presidents who followed. Understanding the Kennedy legacy and being able to identify elements of his legacy within the context of modern politics helps understand many of the vexing problems that developed over the last half century as well as many of the challenges that confront us today. November 22, 1963 was so powerful a moment that in the fifty years since the assassination, every U.S. President that followed JFK has used Kennedy’s words and actions in an effort to craft their own political image. Why does Kennedy’s influence persist, and will it continue? What are the effects? We’ll address these questions and more as we explore The Kennedy Half Century. Follow on Twitter: @JFKclass.

What's included

9 videos

What's included

11 videos1 reading

11 videos Total 133 minutes

Kennedy's Inauguration: The Torch is Passed 10 minutes
Civil Rights 18 minutes
The Space Program 6 minutes
Containing Communism: The Bay of Pigs Disaster 10 minutes
The Berlin Crisis 12 minutes
The Cuban Missile Crisis Part 1 10 minutes
The Cuban Missile Crisis Part 2 8 minutes
The Assassination 10 minutes
The Assassination: Parkland Hospital, a New President, & a National Funeral 18 minutes
The 50th Anniversary Ceremony in Dallas 11 minutes
Oswald 20 minutes

1 reading Total 10 minutes

Resources 10 minutes

What's included

13 videos

13 videos Total 161 minutes

The Assassination: Ballistic Evidence 10 minutes
The Assassination: Physical Evidence 5 minutes
The Warren Commission 14 minutes
The Mysterious Motorcycle 20 minutes
The Dictabelt 13 minutes
New Information Since the 50th 16 minutes
Conspiracy Theories I 17 minutes
Conspiracy Theories II 13 minutes
President Lyndon Johnson I 7 minutes
President Lyndon Johnson II 13 minutes
President Lyndon Johnson III 11 minutes
President Richard Nixon 7 minutes
President Gerald Ford 15 minutes

What's included

11 videos1 assignment

11 videos Total 113 minutes

President Jimmy Carter, Part One 8 minutes
President Jimmy Carter, Part Two 11 minutes
President Ronald Reagan I 8 minutes
President Ronald Reagan II 7 minutes
President Ronald Reagan III 6 minutes
President George H.W. Bush 6 minutes
President Bill Clinton 14 minutes
President George W. Bush 10 minutes
President Barack Obama 17 minutes
Conclusion: A Flame Eternal? 17 minutes
Who Was the Real JFK 9 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

Final 30 minutes

Instructor

Instructor ratings

(64 ratings)

Professor Larry J. Sabato

University of Virginia

1 Course 27,083 learners

Offered by

University of Virginia

Explore more from History

Emory University
From Freedom Rides to Ferguson: Narratives of Nonviolence in the American Civil Rights Movement
Course
Morehouse College
Activism in Sports and Culture
Course
University of London
Magna Carta and its Legacies: Freedom and protest
Course
O.P. Jindal Global University
American Politics, Society, and History
Course

Why people choose Coursera for their career

Felipe M.

Learner since 2018

"To be able to take courses at my own pace and rhythm has been an amazing experience. I can learn whenever it fits my schedule and mood."

Jennifer J.

Learner since 2020

"I directly applied the concepts and skills I learned from my courses to an exciting new project at work."

Larry W.

Learner since 2021

"When I need courses on topics that my university doesn't offer, Coursera is one of the best places to go."

Chaitanya A.

"Learning isn't just about being better at your job: it's so much more than that. Coursera allows me to learn without limits."

Learner reviews

5 stars
75.24%
4 stars
17.62%
3 stars
4.95%
2 stars
1.98%
1 star
0.19%

Showing 3 of 505

Reviewed on Dec 5, 2020

I did not know that President JFK's legacy would extend until the 45th President of the United States, Barack Obama. An interesting course to take.

Reviewed on May 12, 2020

Very well put together and presented. New information is provided even for us Boomers who grew up absorbing anything about the life, death and work of Kennedy. Thank you very much.

Reviewed on Jun 4, 2019

Thanks Larry Sabato you're a legend! This course helped me so much and I chose to do my A level history coursework on Kennedy and got a good mark, in part due to this. Loved it :)

View more reviews

Open new doors with Coursera Plus

Unlimited access to 10,000+ world-class courses, hands-on projects, and job-ready certificate programs - all included in your subscription

Learn more

Advance your career with an online degree

Earn a degree from world-class universities - 100% online

Explore degrees

Join over 3,400 global companies that choose Coursera for Business

Upskill your employees to excel in the digital economy

Learn more

Frequently asked questions

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.