Profile in Courage Essay Contest
Each year the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum sponsors an essay contest that prompts students to write an essay on a topic relating to John F. Kennedy’s book Profiles in Courage.
“In Profiles in Courage, John F. Kennedy recounted the stories of eight U.S. senators who risked their careers to do what was right for the nation. These leaders demonstrated political courage by taking a stand for the public good in spite of pressure by interest groups, their political party, or even their constituents. The Profile in Courage Essay Contest challenges students to write an original and creative essay that demonstrates an understanding of political courage as described by John F. Kennedy in Profiles in Courage.
The maximum word count is 1,000 with a minimum of 700, not including citations and bibliography. Use at least five varied sources such as government documents, letters, newspaper articles, books, and/or personal interviews.
(The 2019-2020) Contest Topic:
Describe and analyze an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official who served during or after 1917, the year John F. Kennedy was born. Include an analysis of the obstacles, risks, and consequences associated with the act. The essay may concern an issue at the local, state, national, or international level.”
How do I expand this narrative arc? If History is in your narrative arc, consider building on this interest with one of the following:
Enter the National World War II Museum’s Essay Contest;
See our post on getting any historical research you may have done published in The Concord Review.
Get involved with more Civil War research through the Library of Congress website.
If your school offers the ability to do an independent study or writing projects, consider doing a larger research project that expands on the themes you explored in your Profiles in Courage essay. Colleges love “pointy” students, and expansion on a theme will demonstrate your ability to go deep!
HOT TIP: This is a great contest to kick off or complement a general interest in history or historical research. Make sure to build on this project with some larger and more time-intensive commitments in these interest areas.