First Lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, Born on July 28, 1929

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Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy was born on July 28, 1929 in Southampton, NY, the daughter of John and Janet.  She was an accomplished rider as a child, and attended Vassar College, University of Grenoble before transferring to George Washington University, where she earned a degree in French literature in 1951. 

While working as a roving photo journalist for the Washington Times-Herald, she met her husband, John F. Kennedy, when he was a U.S. Congressman, soon to be U.S. Senator, according to the John F. Kennedy Library. 


On September 12, 1953, Jackie and Jack married at St. Mary's Church in Newport, RI. She became First Lady at age 31 on January 20, 1961, when her husband took the oath of office to become the nation's 35th president.

"With her gracious personal style and her passion for history and the arts, she worked hard to be worthy of her new role," notes the JFK Library. While she had a deep sense of obligation to her country, her first priorities were to be a good wife to her husband and mother to her children."

The JFK Museum in Hyannis, Cape Cod, notes that Jackie was an "avid supporter of the arts and art education and advocated they be more accessible to the general public."  

Among her accomplishments:
  • Envisioned and launched the White House Restoration Project
  • Established the White House Historical Association (WHHA) in 1961 to educate the public and raise funds for the White House restoration and acquisition of historically important furnishings and art
  • Created the WHHA’s first edition The White House: A Historical Guide in 1962, which continues to be updated and published to this day
  • Established a White House curator position from the Smithsonian Institution, which later became a permanent position. 
Jackie died on May 19, 1974 at age 64 in New York City. She is buried beside her husband, President Kennedy, in Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington, DC.

Visit these landmarks to the Kennedy Family in Massachusetts compiled by Boston Irish Tourism Association. 




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