Final answer:
John F. Kennedy utilized commas in his Civil Rights Address to separate essential and nonessential information, join independent clauses, and list multiple related issues effectively.
Step-by-step explanation:
The use of commas in John F. Kennedy's Civil Rights Address serves to clarify his statements by separating essential and nonessential information. For instance, when Kennedy says, "We preach freedom around the world, and we mean it," the comma before and joins two independent clauses, emphasizing the sincerity of each statement.
Similarly, in the phrase "Every American, regardless of the color of his skin," the commas surrounding regardless of the color of his skin provide nonessential yet powerful detail that all Americans are included in his message.
Lastly, Kennedy uses commas in lists to organize ideas, as seen in the series "They are not yet freed from the bonds of injustice, they are not yet freed from social and economic oppression." The commas here separate the items of oppression as distinct, yet related issues.