It’s been 56 years since President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. To mark the anniversary, PEOPLE takes a look back at his life, his presidency, and the extended family of one of the most cherished presidents in United States history.
John F. Kennedy BirthPresident John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, about five miles southwest of Boston, on May 29, 1917 to businessman Joseph P. Kennedy and his wife, Rose Kennedy. JFK was one of nine children — the second oldest of the siblings with one older brother, Joseph Jr.
Remembering John F. KennedyKennedy was the youngest U.S. president to ever be elected, having being sworn into office at the age of 43. JFK’s presidency is remembered for how he boldly (and with great risk) handled the Cuban Missile Crisis and the early stages of the Cold War. His domestic policy focused on fighting racial discrimination and uniting the country behind a common goal of hope. While many U.S. presidents have identified as Christians, Kennedy remains America’s only Catholic president.
Bettmann/Getty
The Kennedy FamilyThe Kennedy family is one of the most prominent political dynasties in the history of the U.S. After John F. Kennedy married Jacqueline Kennedy in 1953, they had three children, Caroline, John Jr., and Patrick (whodied just two days after his birth). “They were great together,” Mrs. Kennedy’s former assistant Providencia F. Paredes told PEOPLE in 2013. “He always wanted to be sure she was happy.” JFK’s siblings, Senator Robert F. Kennedy and Senator Ted Kennedy, and their children, have also been part of American political life.
Cecil Stoughton, White House/John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston
John F. Kennedy DeathJFK was assassinated on Nov. 22, 1963 while traveling in his motorcade in downtown Dallas, Texas. Kennedy’s assassination is tragically captured in the film footage of Abraham Zapruder which was later published in LIFE Magazine. After President Kennedy was shot, he was rushed to Parkland Hospital where he died about 30 minutes later. Clint Hill, the special agent assigned to the first lady, shared in his bookMrs. Kennedy and Methe moment he had to tell the president’s brother Robert that JFK had been shot: “It’s as bad as it can get,” he said. The White House announced the president’s death a half hour later. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in just over two hours after JFK’s death on Air Force One, as they brought the body back to Washington D.C. Mrs. Kennedy was at Johnson’s side when he was sworn in, still wearing asuit soaked with her husband’s blood.
How Old Was JFK When He Died?President Kennedy was 46 years old when he died.
Where Did John F. Kennedy Die?President Kennedy was pronounced dead at Parkland Hospital in Dallas, Texas.
JFK’s funeral.
The Kennedy FamilyPresident Kennedy’s extended family: his children, his eight siblings and their children, has become one of the most storied political families in American history. Both for the promise they came to represent, as well as the tragic circumstances surrounding the untimely deaths of several family members.
John F. Kennedy Jr.Barry King/WireImage
John F. Kennedy Jr. Plane CrashJohn F. Kennedy Jr., who was almost 3 years old when his father was assassinated, died on July 16, 1999 after a plane he was piloting crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Massachusetts. His wife Carolyn Bessette and sister-in-law Lauren Bessette also died in the crash. Caroline Kennedy, the oldest Kennedy child, is the only surviving member of President Kennedy’s immediate family.
John F. Kennedy Jr. plays in the Oval Office while father John F. Kennedy works.Courtesy JFK Library
John F. Kennedy’s LegacyWhile President Kennedy’s life was cut short on Nov. 22, 1963, the president is often remembered for his youthful energy, his message of hope and his history-making speeches, including his 1960 inaugural address: “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.”
source: people.com
