“JFK”

Presidential Basics

Full name: John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Years in office: 1961–1963
Political party: Democratic
Vice president: Lyndon B. Johnson
Age at inauguration: 43
Nicknames: “JFK,” “Jack”

Random Trivia

Our Pulitzer Prize winning president: JFK won a Pulitzer Prize for his book, Profiles in Courage.

Birth & Death

Birthday: May 29, 1917
Birthplace: Brookline, Massachusetts
Death: November 22, 1963
Place of death: Dallas, Texas
Place of burial: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia
Last words: Unknown

Family

Father: Joseph Patrick Kennedy (1888–1969); Financier, diplomat
Mother: Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy (1890–1995)
Wife: Jacqueline Lee Bouvier (1929 – 1994)
Marriage: September 12, 1953 in Rhode Island
Kids: Three
- Caroline Bouvier (1957–)
- John Fitzgerald, Jr. (1960–1999)
- Patrick Bouvier (1963)
Home: Georgetown, Washington, D.C.

Other Facts

Height: 6’1″
Eye color: Blue
Ancestry: Irish
Religion: Roman Catholic
Born in a log cabin: No
Owned enslaved people: No
Freemason: No

Education

Early education: Choate School
College degree: Yes
College: London School of Economics; Princeton University; Harvard University (1940); Stanford University

Career

Military Service: Yes
Lawyer: No
Writer
Officer in U.S. Navy (1942–1945)
Member of U.S. House of Representatives (1947–1953)
Member of U.S. Senate (1953–1961)
President (1961–1963)

Writings

Why England Slept
Profiles in Courage

Election

In the election of 1960, the young war hero, John F. Kennedy, faced Vice President Richard Nixon. The well-known Nixon had the benefit of experience in dealing with the troubles of the Cold War. Although, election polls showed the two men at near tie.

Kennedy gained the advantage in the race during the first televised debates. Kennedy looked cool and collected, while Nixon appeared pale and nervous. This advantage would push Kennedy right into the White House, making him the youngest president ever elected.

Campaign Poster

Kennedy for President: Leadership for the 60’s, poster, 1960 (Library of Congress)

Click to order your copy!

35. John F. Kennedy