Final answer:
President Kennedy was compelled to support a new civil rights bill because of continuous civil rights protests, international strategic interests during the Cold War, and the realization that federal legislation was necessary to achieve racial justice and peace. Although he did not see the Civil Rights Act of 1964 come to fruition, his advocacy and the subsequent efforts of Lyndon B. Johnson after his assassination helped make it law.
Step-by-step explanation:
Several factors led President Kennedy to support a new civil rights bill near the end of his presidency. The continuous protests, economic boycotts, and negative media coverage surrounding events like the segregation issues in Birmingham and the University of Alabama, highlighted the urgent need for federal legislation to address racial justice and end civil disorder. Furthermore, recognition of how legal segregation and discrimination negatively impacted the United States' international relations during the Cold War era, particularly in the pursuit of allies in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, played a role in his decision.
Kennedy had previously shown support for civil rights during his presidential campaign, notably in securing the release of Martin Luther King Jr., and by utilizing federal troops to assist with the desegregation of public schools. Despite initial reluctance due to congressional opposition and the potential backlash from white Southern Democrats, Kennedy was persuaded by the critical state of civil rights and further motivated by strategic international considerations to propose groundbreaking legislation.
The assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, meant he did not live to see the passage of the Civil Rights Act; however, his groundwork and Lyndon B. Johnson's dedication ensured its enactment in 1964 as one of the most significant pieces of civil rights legislation in American history.