John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917 to Rose Fitzgerald and Joseph Patrick Kennedy. John was named after his maternal grandfather John "HoneyFitz" Fitzgerald, the mayor of Boston. Because he was a sick boy he was given his last rites 5 times, the first one being when he was a newborn. He was born to an Irish Catholic family with 9 children. John was the 2nd of 4 boys. There was Joseph Jr., John, Robert (called Bobby), and Edward (called Ted). Because Rose made Joe and Jack (the name his family called him) wear matching clothes, they fought a lot for attention. When John was young the family moved from Boston to New York. John went to Choate, a private school. Most of the time, though, he was too sick to attend. In the late 1930s John's father Joe became the ambassador to England. He took his two sons John and Robert with him, as well as his wife and daughters Kathleen and Rosemary. John went to Princeton and then Harvard and for his senior thesis he wrote a piece about why England refused to get into the war until later. It was published in 1940 and called Why England Slept. His older brother Joe was a flyer during the war, and one day while he had bombs with him his plane exploded. Not long after that, John's sister Kathleen and her husband died in a plane crash. In the early 1950s, John ran for Congress in Massachusetts and won. He married Jacqueline Lee Bouvier on September 12 1953. Their first child, named Caroline Bouvier Kennedy, was born on November 27, 1957 and their son, named John Fitzgerald Kennedy Jr., was born on November 25, 1960. They had a son named Patrick Bouvier, but he died a few days after his birth. In 1954, JFK had to have back surgery and in the hospital wrote his second book, Profiles in Courage. Joe Sr. always said that his son Joe was going to be President; when he died in WWII, though, John took the title. He ran for president in 1960 against Richard Milhouse Nixon and won. His administration had many conflicts, the Bay of Pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis being key examples. In November of 1963 he and Jackie (his wife's nickname) went on a trip to Texas. Everywhere they went there were signs saying "Jack and Jackie." On November 22, 1963 John was to give a speech in Dallas, but on his way there was shot by an assassin on the 6th floor of the Texas Book Depository. In just a little bit of irony, considering the death of Lincoln 100 years earlier, he was shot in a Ford Lincoln (Lincoln was in Ford's theater when he was shot). He was shot 2 times and died at about 1 pm. He was laid to rest on his son's third birthday.
Father of John Kennedy Jr. and Caroline Kennedy. Brother of Robert F. Kennedy. Brother-in-law of Peter Lawford. Uncle of Maria Shriver. Believed to have been shot by Lee Harvey Oswald, who was later killed by Jack Ruby. Was the first Roman Catholic President. Was the youngest elected US President. Was the 35th President of the US (1961 - 1963). Attended the installation in Rome of Pope Pius XII with his parents and family. In the mid-1950s, he and Jacqueline Kennedy had a daughter, who was stillborn, and who was never named. Son, John Kennedy Jr., born 25 November 1960 and died 16 July 1999. Son, Patrick Bouvier, died shortly after his birth in the summer of 1963. Was instrumental in the creation of the space program, and in just 8 years (1961 - 1969), Americans sent a man to the moon. Appointed his brother, Robert F. Kennedy, as his Attorney General. Since RFK's appointment, laws have been enacted preventing family members from serving in the President's cabinet. Daughter, Caroline Kennedy, born 27 November 1957. Graduated from the Choate School in Connecticut in 1935. Was elected to the House of Representatives in 1946 and to the U. S. Senate in 1952. In 1940, he wrote the best-selling book, Why England Slept, about some of the decisions which led to World War II. Suffered from Addison's disease. He created the Peace Corps. He graduated from Harvard in 1940. Was named after his grandfather, John Fitzgerald, who was elected as Boston mayor in 1905. In 1955, he wrote Profiles in Courage, which won the Pulitzer Prize in history in 1957. Served in the U. S. Navy during WWII. He was the youngest man elected President, and the youngest to die. Son of Joseph P. Kennedy and Rose Kennedy. Brother of Eunice Kennedy Shriver and Ted Kennedy. His father never called him Jack, he always called him Johnny. Uncle of Christopher Lawford Pictured on a 5¢ US memorial postage stamp issued 29 May 1964 (birthday following assassination). Pictured on the 13¢ US postage stamp in the original Prominent Americans series, issued 29 May 1967 (50th anniversary of his birth). Time Magazine's "Man of the Year" (1961) During a stopover in Palm Beach, Florida, en route to Dallas, Texas on November 17, 1963, a private screening of Tom Jones was organized on behalf of the president. It was the last film he saw. During his tenure at the White House, Kennedy, like Herbert Hoover before him, refused to accept a presidential salary. While in office, the family Secret Service code names were: Lancer (The President); Lace (Jacqueline Kennedy); Lyric (Caroline Kennedy); Lark (John Kennedy Jr.). Died November 22, 1963, the same day as C.S. Lewis and Aldous Huxley. Although he was the youngest person elected president, he was not the youngest person to become president. That was Theodore Roosevelt, who became president after William McKinley was shot. U.S. Senator (1953 - 1961). His vice president, Lyndon Johnson, a Texas native, campaigned against him for the presidential spot in 1960, and Kennedy later chose him to be his vice president because he needed Johnson to win over the southern voters. John's brother, Robert F. Kennedy, disliked Johnson greatly and the feeling was mutual. Was a natural speed reader. He could read about 2,500 wpm (10 times the average reading speed). He would read 6 newspapers from cover to cover while he had breakfast. In stark contrast to his own poor physical health, his younger brother Robert F. Kennedy was a very strong and physically active man who enjoyed hiking and canoeing among other outdoor sports. His favourite film was Spartacus. He was the first president born in the 20th Century. His funeral took place on the same day as that of Lee Harvey Oswald and Officer J.D. Tippit. His assassination inspired journalist Hunter S. Thompson's famous phrase "Fear and Loathing". He, Lee Harvey Oswald, and Jack Ruby all died at Parkland Hospital, Dallas. The Lincoln limousine in which he was riding in on the day of his assassination is on display in a Dearborn, Michigan museum. In the course of his famous 1963 speech near the Berlin Wall, Kennedy had meant to say, "Ich bin Berliner" (I am a Berliner). Since nationalities in German are not preceded by articles, Kennedy actually said, "Ich bin ein Berliner" (I am one with the people of Berlin). The urban legend that it translates into "I am a jelly donut" is a myth, since the pastry is known in Germany as "pfannkuchen" (pan cake). Is portrayed by Martin Sheen in the mini-series Kennedy. The second of only two US presidents to be entombed in Arlington National Cemetery, the first being William Howard Taft [2006] "Black Jack," the riderless horse that served at Kennedy's funeral, also participated in the funeral ceremonies of President Herbert Hoover, Lyndon Johnson and General Douglas MacArthur. Coincidentally, "Black Jack" was also the nickname of Jacqueline Kennedy's father Brother-in-law of Lee Radziwill He had numerous bizarre distant connections with the 16th president Abraham Lincolon. ALthough privately he suffered from numerous illnesses and ailments, he insisted on a public image of rugged fitness and masculinity. Following his infamous debate against Richard Noxin, he spent a week in Florida tanning and working out on the beach.He was often photographed playing football with younger brother Robert, working out, and playing various sports with his family. In one famous photography of him, he is pictured wearing a leather jacket, jeans, and sunglasses, casually leaning against a wall. In reality, he was so exhausted and tired from getting over a virus and the job, that he literally fell asleep standing up.