On January 20, 1961, John F. Kennedy stood on the frozen steps of the U.S. Capitol and delivered an inaugural address that would echo through eternity — but what most people don't know is that the night before, Washington D.C. was buried under eight inches of snow, and JFK, hatless in 22-degree weather, almost didn't make it to his own swearing-in. Traffic was paralyzed, cars were abandoned in snowdrifts, and the Secret Service had to use Army flamethrowers to clear Pennsylvania Avenue so the ce

"Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." The youngest American president ever elected, John F. Kennedy exuded vitality and optimism in his 1961 inaugural address. Explore our Presidents collection → https://www.pbs.org/presidents/ | American Experience | PBS