Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy meticulously documented her children’s lives. For her second child, she noted:
John Fitzgerald Kennedy Born Brookline, Mass. (83 Beals Street) May 29, 1917
Rose Kennedy would eventually raise nine children, diligently recording each milestone for every one in her wooden file box, from doctor visits to shoe sizes at specific ages. Born on May 29, 1917, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, named after his maternal grandfather and Boston Mayor John Francis “Honey Fitz” Fitzgerald, was soon nicknamed Jack. Even in infancy, Jack’s health was a concern. Rose’s notecards detailed his bouts with childhood illnesses like “whooping cough, measles, chicken pox,” painting a picture of his fragile early years.
Before his third birthday, at age two, Jack contracted scarlet fever in February 1920, a serious and potentially fatal illness at the time. Joseph Patrick Kennedy, his father, was deeply worried about young Jack’s survival. He visited the hospital daily, a testament to his concern for his young son. After about a month, Jack’s condition improved, and he recovered. However, this early health scare marked the beginning of a lifelong struggle with various ailments, leading to family jokes about the perils of mosquito bites on him – suggesting his blood was almost lethal.
When Jack was three years old, the Kennedy family relocated to a larger twelve-room house with turreted windows and a spacious porch, still in Brookline, just outside Boston. His father, Joseph, a man driven by ambition and energy, was focused on building his business empire. Driven by early experiences of prejudice as an Irish Catholic at Harvard, he had vowed to become a millionaire by 35. Despite the prevalent anti-Irish Catholic sentiment in Boston, Joseph Kennedy was determined to achieve success. His own grandparents, who had immigrated from Ireland, had overcome hardships to provide for their families, and his grandfathers had become successful Boston politicians. This family history provided a foundation for Jack’s comfortable upbringing. The Kennedys enjoyed a life of abundance and privilege.
By the time John F. Kennedy reached the age of eight, the Kennedy household had grown to include seven children. He had an older brother, Joe Jr., and sisters Rosemary, Kathleen, Eunice, and Patricia, as well as a younger brother, Robert. Jean and Teddy were yet to be born. A team of nannies and housekeepers assisted Rose in managing the large family.
Summers for the Kennedy children meant relocating to their Hyannis Port home on Cape Cod. There, they spent their days swimming, sailing, and engaging in spirited games of touch football. Competition was a key element of their upbringing, encouraged by Joseph Sr., particularly among his sons.
He instilled in them a relentless drive to win, in sports and in all aspects of life, often repeating his mantra, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” However, this competitive spirit sometimes crossed boundaries. A bicycle race suggested by Joe, the elder son, ended in a head-on collision, leaving Joe unharmed but Jack requiring twenty-eight stitches. Being two years older and physically stronger, Joe often dominated in physical altercations, leaving Jack usually on the losing end. Jack was the only sibling who truly challenged Joe’s position as the eldest and most dominant child.
At age 13, Jack Kennedy began attending Choate, a boarding school in Connecticut, where he quickly became popular and made many friends. He participated in tennis, basketball, football, and golf, and demonstrated a keen interest in reading. His friend Lem Billings noted Jack’s unusual habit of subscribing to the New York Times daily, a testament to his intellectual curiosity even at a young age. His Head Master recognized Jack’s “clever, individualist mind,” though academically, he was not always the most diligent student, except in his favorite subjects, history and English.
His father, in a letter, acknowledged this potential: “Now Jack,” he wrote, “I don’t want to give the impression that I am a nagger… and I also feel that you know if I didn’t really feel you had the goods I would be most charitable in my attitude toward your failings. After long experience in sizing up people I definitely know you have the goods and you can go a long way…It is very difficult to make up fundamentals that you have neglected when you were very young, and that is why I am urging you to do the best you can. I am not expecting too much, and I will not be disappointed if you don’t turn out to be a real genius, but I think you can be a really worthwhile citizen with good judgment and understanding.”
Graduating from Choate at 19, Jack enrolled at Harvard in 1936, joining his older brother Joe. Like Joe, Jack played football, displaying determination and perseverance despite not being as naturally athletic as his brother. During a game, he suffered a ruptured disk in his spine, an injury that would plague him for the rest of his life.
Both Joe and Jack, attractive, intelligent, and likeable, held great promise in their father’s eyes. Joe, however, had declared his ambition to be the first Catholic president from a young age, a goal that seemed entirely plausible to those around him. Jack, at this stage, appeared less overtly ambitious. He was involved in student activities and sports, and performed well in history and government classes, although his overall grades remained average.
In late 1937, when Jack was 20 years old, Joseph Kennedy was appointed United States Ambassador to England, and the family, excluding Joe and Jack, relocated to London. This move exposed Jack to European politics and world affairs. A summer trip to England and other European countries further ignited his interest in history, government, and current events, making him a more engaged student upon his return to Harvard.
Frequent letters from their father in England kept Joe and Jack informed about the growing international tensions and the looming threat of war. Adolph Hitler’s Germany and Benito Mussolini’s Italy were expanding their military might and territorial ambitions. On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland, marking the beginning of World War II.
By this time, Jack was a senior at Harvard, age 22, and chose to write his thesis on Britain’s lack of preparedness for war with Germany. It was later published as Why England Slept. In June 1940, at 23 years old, John F. Kennedy graduated from Harvard. His father sent a congratulatory cable from London: “TWO THINGS I ALWAYS KNEW ABOUT YOU ONE THAT YOU ARE SMART TWO THAT YOU ARE A SWELL GUY LOVE DAD.”
World War II and a Future in Politics
Soon after graduating, both Joe and Jack, in their early twenties, joined the Navy. Joe became a flyer and was deployed to Europe, while Jack was commissioned as a Lieutenant (Lt.) and assigned to the South Pacific to command a patrol torpedo boat, PT-109.
At 25 years old, Lt. Kennedy led a crew of twelve men tasked with disrupting Japanese supply lines. On the night of August 2, 1943, while patrolling for enemy ships, a Japanese destroyer appeared suddenly, speeding directly towards them. Lt. Kennedy attempted to steer clear, but the much larger warship rammed the PT-109, splitting it in half and killing two crew members. The survivors, including Lt. Kennedy, were thrown into the water as their boat caught fire. Kennedy reinjured his back in the collision. Finding a badly burned crew member, Patrick McMahon, in the darkness, Lt. Kennedy pulled him to a piece of floating wreckage where the other survivors clung. At dawn, despite his own injuries, Lt. Kennedy led his men to a small island miles away, towing McMahon by a life jacket strap clenched in his teeth. Six days later, native islanders discovered them and facilitated their rescue after receiving a message carved by Jack on a coconut shell. The PT-109 crew was saved, but tragedy struck the Kennedy family a year later when Joe Jr. died in a plane explosion during a dangerous mission in Europe.
Upon returning home, John F. Kennedy, age 27, was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his heroism. With the war ending, he considered careers in teaching or writing. However, Joe’s death shifted his path. After discussions with his father, Joseph Kennedy, he agreed to run for Congress in Massachusetts’ eleventh congressional district, winning the election in 1946 at the age of 29. This victory marked the start of John F. Kennedy’s political career. He served three terms in the House of Representatives and was elected to the US Senate in 1952, at the age of 35.
Shortly after becoming a senator, at 36 years old, John F. Kennedy married 24-year-old Jacqueline Bouvier, a writer for the Washington Times-Herald. Early in their marriage, Senator Kennedy’s back problems resurfaced, requiring two serious surgeries. During his recovery, he wrote Profiles in Courage, a book about senators who had risked their careers for their beliefs, which won the Pulitzer Prize for biography in 1957. In the same year, the Kennedys welcomed their first child, Caroline.
John F. Kennedy’s popularity as a politician grew. In 1956, he was considered for the vice-presidential nomination. Ultimately, he decided to pursue the presidency in the next election.
He embarked on a rigorous campaign schedule, traveling extensively across the United States. On July 13, 1960, the Democratic party nominated him as their presidential candidate. Kennedy chose Lyndon B. Johnson, a senator from Texas, as his running mate. In the general election on November 8, 1960, John F. Kennedy, at the age of 43, narrowly defeated Republican Vice President Richard M. Nixon, becoming the youngest elected president and the first Catholic president. Before his inauguration, his second child, John Jr., nicknamed John-John by his father, was born.
John F. Kennedy Becomes The 35th President of the United States
John F. Kennedy was inaugurated as the 35th President of the United States on January 20, 1961, at the age of 43. His inaugural address resonated with a call for civic engagement: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” He also appealed to global cooperation to combat “the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself.” President Kennedy, along with his wife and children, infused the White House with a sense of youth and vitality. The Kennedys envisioned the White House as a center for American history, culture, and achievement, inviting artists, writers, scientists, poets, musicians, actors, and athletes as guests. Jacqueline Kennedy spearheaded a restoration project, curating American art and furniture to reflect the White House’s historical and artistic significance.
The presence of Caroline and John-John, the young Kennedy children, added a playful atmosphere to the White House. Despite his demanding presidential schedule, President Kennedy, even in his early forties, made time to spend with his children, enjoying the pre-school, swimming pool, and treehouse on the White House lawn.
However, serious concerns weighed on the young president. The threat of nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union was paramount. The Cold War, a conflict defined by ideological tension and nuclear arms race rather than direct combat, loomed large. Events like the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 brought the world to the brink of nuclear conflict.
President Kennedy maintained a grueling schedule, starting his day early and working late into the night. He consumed six newspapers during breakfast, held meetings with key figures, and reviewed reports from his advisors, striving to make informed decisions for the nation. He introduced the concept of the “New Frontier,” a call for progress in science, education, employment, and other fields, urging Americans to be “new pioneers.” He championed democracy and freedom globally.
One of President Kennedy’s early initiatives was the Peace Corps. This program, still active today, allows Americans to volunteer in developing countries, contributing to education, agriculture, healthcare, and construction. The Peace Corps has fostered international goodwill and respect for the United States.
President Kennedy also prioritized space exploration. Determined to surpass the Soviet Union in the space race, he advocated for substantial funding for Project Apollo, committing the nation to landing an American man on the moon before the end of the decade.
Domestically, President Kennedy faced the critical issue of racial discrimination. Despite the 1954 Supreme Court ruling against segregation in public schools, many institutions, particularly in the Southern states, remained segregated. Racial segregation extended to buses, restaurants, and other public spaces.
The Civil Rights Movement gained momentum, with peaceful protests led by figures like Martin Luther King Jr. Initially hesitant about public protests, President Kennedy eventually recognized the urgent need for federal action. By June 11, 1963, at age 46, he proposed a comprehensive Civil Rights bill to Congress and addressed the nation on television, denouncing racism and urging equality. He emphasized the nation’s founding principles of equality and the long overdue freedom for all Americans, regardless of race.
The President is Shot
On November 21, 1963, President Kennedy traveled to Texas for political speeches. The following day, November 22, as his motorcade proceeded through cheering crowds in Dallas, shots were fired. Gravely wounded, President Kennedy died shortly after. Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested within hours and charged with the assassination. Two days later, Jack Ruby fatally shot Oswald, silencing the prime suspect and fueling further questions about the tragic event. The Warren Commission was established to investigate the assassination and address the lingering uncertainties.
The Legacy of John F. Kennedy
President Kennedy’s assassination at the young age of 46 evoked widespread grief and shock across America and the world. Many vividly remember where they were when they heard the news. His funeral in Washington drew hundreds of thousands, and millions worldwide watched on television.
Decades later, John F. Kennedy’s brief presidency continues to be remembered for his leadership, charisma, and accomplishments. His decisive handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis, his inspiring rhetoric, and his commitment to social programs for the disadvantaged are frequently cited as defining aspects of his legacy. Despite any shortcomings, John Kennedy’s enduring optimism and belief in collective action remain a powerful part of his historical impact.
