Final answer:
Option (2), John F. Kennedy was cautious in his support for civil rights due to political pressures, but his assassination in 1963 helped to accelerate the civil rights movement, as it became a part of his legacy and Lyndon B. Johnson used it to push through the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Step-by-step explanation:
John F. Kennedy's (JF_K) stance on the Civil Rights Act and other progressive initiatives was often conservative due to the political climate of his era, especially given the opposition he faced from members of his own party, particularly Southern Democrats. At the time of his assassination in 1963, JF_K had begun to support limited civil rights initiatives but had remained cautious about proposing new legislation.
His successor, Lyndon B. Johnson, capitalized on the tragedy to push forward with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, framing it as a tribute to Kennedy. Although Kennedy only cautiously supported the Act in life, his assassination inadvertently bolstered the civil rights movement as his death galvanized public and congressional support for the Act, which Johnson successfully passed as part of his civil rights initiatives.