Biographies

John Fitzgerald Kennedy
(1917–1963)

John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division [LC-USZ62-117124]

"And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country."

Early Years

John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, in 1917, the second child of Rose and Joseph Kennedy. The Kennedys, wealthy and politically well connected, raised their nine children in an atmosphere of fierce competition. Each was expected to excel at both intellectual endeavors and athletic pursuits. In 1940, John F. Kennedy graduated from Harvard University. Shortly afterwards, he joined the U.S. Navy and almost lost his life when a boat he was on was torpedoed by the Japanese.

The Congressional Record

In 1946, Kennedy ran for Congress in Massachusetts' 11th District. He won the election by a landslide and served three terms in Congress. His advocacy of social improvement programs for working Americans, higher wages, lower prices, and better working conditions marked his tenure in the House. In 1952, he ran for a seat in the U.S. Senate against Republican incumbent Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. Kennedy again won by a substantial margin. While serving in the Senate, Kennedy continued his fight for increased prosperity for the working class. He also became an early supporter of the civil rights movement.

Marriage and Family

In 1953, Kennedy married Jacqueline Lee Bouvier. Bouvier was the well-educated daughter of a prominent family. She graduated from George Washington University in 1951. In 1957 she gave birth to a daughter, Caroline. A son, John Jr., followed in 1960, shortly after Kennedy was elected president.

The Presidency

In 1960, John F. Kennedy became the first Catholic and the youngest man ever elected President, beating Republican candidate Richard M. Nixon by the narrowest margin in history. Kennedy's presidency was marked by many notable events. Chief among them were the Bay of Pigs invasion, a failed attempt by CIA trained operatives to launch a popular uprising against Cuban leader Fidel Castro, and the Cuban Missile Crisis, which brought the U.S. to the brink of war with the Soviet Union. Kennedy also became an early proponent of the space program, oversaw the establishment of the Peace Corps, and continued to fight for civil rights.