The Kennedy Half Century

Ends in 7 days! Save 40% on your access to 10,000+ programs and make a real impact in your career. Save now.

The Kennedy Half Century

Instructor: Professor Larry J. Sabato

27,137 already enrolled

Included with Learn more

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

506 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

9 hours to complete

Learn at your own pace

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

506 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

9 hours to complete

Learn at your own pace

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

1 assignment

Taught in English

97%

Most learners liked this course

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 videosTotal 133 minutes

Kennedy's Inauguration: The Torch is Passed10 minutes
Civil Rights18 minutes
The Space Program6 minutes
Containing Communism: The Bay of Pigs Disaster10 minutes
The Berlin Crisis12 minutes
The Cuban Missile Crisis Part 110 minutes
The Cuban Missile Crisis Part 28 minutes
The Assassination 10 minutes
The Assassination: Parkland Hospital, a New President, & a National Funeral18 minutes
The 50th Anniversary Ceremony in Dallas11 minutes
Oswald20 minutes

1 readingTotal 10 minutes

Resources10 minutes

What's included

13 videos

13 videosTotal 161 minutes

The Assassination: Ballistic Evidence10 minutes
The Assassination: Physical Evidence5 minutes
The Warren Commission14 minutes
The Mysterious Motorcycle20 minutes
The Dictabelt13 minutes
New Information Since the 50th16 minutes
Conspiracy Theories I17 minutes
Conspiracy Theories II13 minutes
President Lyndon Johnson I7 minutes
President Lyndon Johnson II13 minutes
President Lyndon Johnson III11 minutes
President Richard Nixon7 minutes
President Gerald Ford15 minutes

What's included

11 videos1 assignment

11 videosTotal 113 minutes

President Jimmy Carter, Part One8 minutes
President Jimmy Carter, Part Two11 minutes
President Ronald Reagan I8 minutes
President Ronald Reagan II7 minutes
President Ronald Reagan III6 minutes
President George H.W. Bush6 minutes
President Bill Clinton14 minutes
President George W. Bush10 minutes
President Barack Obama17 minutes
Conclusion: A Flame Eternal?17 minutes
Who Was the Real JFK9 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Final30 minutes

Instructor

Instructor ratings

(64 ratings)

Professor Larry J. Sabato

University of Virginia

1 Course27,137 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
Category: Preview
Category: Credit offered
University of Pennsylvania
Reconstructing America's Story
Course
Category: Preview
Category: Credit offered
Morehouse College
Activism in Sports and Culture
Course
Category: Preview
Category: Credit offered
Tel Aviv University
The History of Modern Israel - Part II: Challenges of Israel as a sovereign state
Course
Category: Preview
Category: Credit offered

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
75.29%
4 stars
17.58%
3 stars
4.94%
2 stars
1.97%
1 star
0.19%

Showing 3 of 506

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 Jul 4, 2017

Larry Sabato is a true genius in political thought. Great realizing that he is fascinated by John Kennedy as I am. There was technical difficulty in Coursera realizing that I had finished the course.

Reviewed on Dec 31, 2018

A fairly well rounded course on JFK and his legacy. Some new information interwoven with some traditional history on JFK. Overall an interesting course.

View more reviews

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.