Kennedy and Johnson nominated 1960

Historical context

The 1960 Democratic National Convention was a significant event in American political history, primarily because it marked the nomination of John F. Kennedy as the Democratic Party’s candidate for President of the United States. The convention took place from 11 to 15 July 1960 in Los Angeles, California.

Kennedy’s nomination was the culmination of a hard-fought primary campaign against other prominent Democrats, particularly Lyndon B. Johnson, who now became his vice presidential running mate. Kennedy’s charisma, his eloquence and the political standing of his family played a decisive role in his nomination.

There were some memorable moments at the convention itself, including Kennedy’s acceptance speech in which he uttered the famous phrase “The New Frontier”. This phrase was intended to symbolise his vision for America’s future, which was focused on progress and innovation.

The 1960 Democratic convention also made history by being the first to be televised on a large scale, allowing millions of Americans to watch the proceedings in real time. This television coverage helped shape the modern era of political conventions by turning them into major media events that captured the nation’s attention.

Kennedy’s victory in the general election that same year by a narrow margin over Republican candidate Richard Nixon cemented his place in history as the 35th President of the United States.