President John F. Kennedy’s speech in which he promised to land a man on the moon was delivered before a joint session of the United States Congress on May 25, 1961.

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Special Message to the Congress on Urgent National Needs

President John F. Kennedy

Delivered in person before a joint session of Congress

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, my copartners in Government, gentlemen-and ladies:

The Constitution imposes upon me the obligation to “from time to time give to the Congress information of the State of the Union.” While this has traditionally been interpreted as an annual affair, this tradition has been broken in extraordinary times.

These are extraordinary times. And we face an extraordinary challenge. Our strength as well as our convictions have imposed upon this nation the role of leader in freedom’s cause. [Read more…]