John F. Kennedy
Summary
John F. Kennedy (born May 29, 1917; died November 22, 1963), sometimes referred to as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States.
Early Life & Military Service
Nicknamed Jack, John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born in Massachusetts to a wealthy and powerful Irish Catholic family. He graduated from Harvard in 1940 and served with the U.S. Navy in World War II.
Political Career & Marriage
In 1946, Kennedy won a seat as a Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives and was re-elected twice. In 1952, he was elected to represent Massachusetts in the Senate. He married Jacqueline Bouvier in 1953. Kennedy served in the Senate until 1960, when he won the U.S. presidential election. At age 43, he was at the time the youngest man to be elected president, as well as the first Catholic.
Presidency
Kennedy served as president from 1961 to 1963, with Lyndon B. Johnson as his vice president. During his short presidency, Kennedy faced a variety of international Cold War crises, including the Bay of Pigs, the building of the Berlin Wall, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the escalation of American involvement in Vietnam. One of his biggest foreign policy accomplishments was the negotiation of the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.
Domestically, President Kennedy proposed a sweeping civil rights bill (which would be passed after his death), created the Peace Corps, and encouraged the nation’s involvement in the space race.
Assassination & Legacy
On November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas, Kennedy was killed after being shot twice while riding in a motorcade. Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested for the assassination but was murdered himself a few days later. Speculation about the JFK assassination persists.
Kennedy remains one of America’s most popular presidents despite revelations of marital infidelity and ties to organized crime.
Learn more about John F. Kennedy through historical newspapers from our archives. Explore newspaper articles, headlines, images, and other primary sources below.
Articles and Clippings about John F. Kennedy
Ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy will return to U.S. to see son John F. Kennedy graduate from Harvard Tue, Jun 14, 1938 – 13 · The Boston Globe (Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
Photo of John F. Kennedy with his father and brothers (Joseph & Robert) in 1939 Wed, Dec 13, 1939 – Page 3 · Daily Press (Newport News, Newport News, Virginia, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
Favorable review of John F. Kennedy's 1940 book "Why England Slept" Sun, Aug 11, 1940 – 50 · Hartford Courant (Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
Photo of Lieutenant John F. Kennedy in his Navy uniform Thu, Aug 19, 1943 – 1 · The Boston Globe (Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
Excerpt from article about JFK's experience when his PT boat sank during World War II Thu, Aug 19, 1943 – 6 · The Boston Globe (Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
JFK elected to U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts 11th District in 1946 Wed, Nov 6, 1946 – Page 2 · Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, Monroe, New York, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
Picture and article excerpt about JFK's first election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1946 Wed, Nov 6, 1946 – 2 · The Boston Globe (Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
John F. Kennedy wins 1952 U.S. Senate election in Massachusetts against Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. Wed, Nov 5, 1952 – 1 · The Boston Globe (Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
Photo and article excerpt from John F. Kennedy's marriage to Jacqueline "Jackie" Bouvier in 1953 Sun, Sep 13, 1953 – 24 · The Boston Globe (Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
Democrat senator JFK wins 1957 Pulitzer Prize for book "Profiles in Courage" Tue, May 7, 1957 – Page 3 · Stevens Point Journal (Stevens Point, Portage, Wisconsin, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
Massachusetts newspaper front page coverage of JFK winning the 1960 presidential election Wed, Nov 9, 1960 – 1 · The Boston Globe (Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
Images from 1961 JFK inauguration as well as text of inaugural address with famous quote Sat, Jan 21, 1961 – 9 · The Tampa Tribune (Tampa, Florida, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
President John F. Kennedy creates Peace Corps by Executive Order in 1961 Thu, Mar 2, 1961 – 11 · The San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
Front page newspaper coverage of the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion of Cuba in 1961 Thu, Apr 20, 1961 – 1 · The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
President John F. Kennedy asks Congress for funding for space race and announces moon-landing goal Fri, May 26, 1961 – 1 · The Tampa Tribune (Tampa, Florida, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
Newspaper reports on end of Cuban Missile Crisis between JFK and Soviet Union in 1962 Mon, Oct 29, 1962 – 1 · The Central New Jersey Home News (New Brunswick, Middlesex, New Jersey, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
President John F. Kennedy visits the Berlin Wall and gives famous "I am a Berliner" speech Wed, Jun 26, 1963 – 1 · The Evening Sun (Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
Number of U.S. military advisers in Vietnam reaches 14,000 in 1963 during Kennedy administration Thu, Jul 25, 1963 – 3 · The Evening Sun (Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
Kennedy believes March on Washington will increase prospects for passage of civil rights bill Thu, Aug 29, 1963 – 1 · The Atlanta Constitution (Atlanta, Fulton, Georgia, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
Picture and article about John F. Kennedy signing the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in October 1963 Tue, Oct 8, 1963 – 3 · Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
Texas newspaper headlines about assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963 Fri, Nov 22, 1963 – 1 · Austin American-Statesman (Austin, Texas, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
Newspaper photos from the John F. Kennedy assassination Sat, Nov 23, 1963 – Page 3 · The Minneapolis Star (Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
Funeral for John F. Kennedy: "Last Rites for JFK; Nation mourns leader" Mon, Nov 25, 1963 – 1 · Fort Lauderdale News (Fort Lauderdale, Broward, Florida, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
Jackie Kennedy leaves JFK funeral with children Caroline and John Jr., and also Kennedy siblings Mon, Nov 25, 1963 – 6 · Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, Dane, Wisconsin, United States of America) · Newspapers.com