These vivid photographs offer new insights into the lives of John F. Kennedy and his siblings before their family became America's most famous political dynasty.
For much of the 20th century, one name was synonymous with American politics, public service and, tragically, loss: Kennedy.
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The dark side of Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., patriarch of the Kennedy family 1 of 45John F. Kennedy poses with two family friends (left) and his sister Patricia (right) in Palm Beach, Florida. December 1941 or January 1942. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 2 of 45From left: Robert F. Kennedy, Ted Kennedy, and Rose Kennedy in Palm Beach, Florida, on Ted's confirmation day. May 1942. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 3 of 45From left: An unidentified woman, John F. Kennedy, Kathleen Kennedy Cavendish, and playwright William Douglas pose in front of an English estate on horseback. 1945–48 John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 4 of 45John F. Kennedy (second from right) plays football with friends at the family estate in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. Labor Day weekend, 1944. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 5 of 45John F. Kennedy poses with Danker, the dachshund he purchased in Germany while traveling in Europe with his friend Lem Billings in the summer of 1937. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 6 of 45From left: Joe Kennedy Jr., Kathleen Kennedy, and John F. Kennedy en route to Westminster Palace in London to hear Britain formally declare war on Germany. September 3, 1939. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 7 of 45. Seated, left to right: Gene Kennedy, Eunice Kennedy, and Joe Kennedy Sr. dine at their home in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. An unidentified housekeeper stands behind them. Summer 1942. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives. 8 of 45. John F. Kennedy with friends in Charleston, South Carolina. 1942. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives. 9 of 45. Left to right: Joe Kennedy Jr., Ted Kennedy, Eunice Kennedy, Patricia Kennedy, and Robert F. Kennedy sit by the pool in Palm Beach, Florida. December 1941 or January 1942. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives. 10 of 45. Robert F. Kennedy and Gene Kennedy relax by the pool in Palm Beach, Florida. December 1941 or January 1942. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives. 11 of 45. Rosemary Kennedy (background), friend Sancy Falvey, and Eunice Kennedy (foreground) pose with the family dog, Skippy, at the Kennedy family home in Bronxville, New York. Circa 1936. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives. 12 of 45. A young Robert F. Kennedy (left) takes on an opponent in the boxing ring at the Sea Spray Club in Palm Beach, Florida. February 1935. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives. 13 of 45 From left: Joe Kennedy Jr., John F. Kennedy, Rosemary Kennedy, Kathleen Kennedy, and Eunice Kennedy in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. June 1926. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 14 of 45 Ethel Skakel (left), future wife of Robert F. Kennedy, at the pool with John F. Kennedy and Jean Kennedy (right) in Palm Beach, Florida. Circa 1946–48. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 15 of 45 John F. Kennedy and his future wife, Jacqueline Lee Bouvier, in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, the weekend after their engagement. June 1953. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 16 of 45 Joe Kennedy Jr. (left) grouse hunts in Scotland with Sir James Calder (second from right) and two unidentified men. Circa August 1937. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 17 of 45 A young John F. Kennedy (left) pretends to smoke a cigar with his younger sister, Rosemary, and grandfather, Patrick Joseph Kennedy. Cohasset, Massachusetts. 1923 or 1924. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 18 of 45 John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy dance at their wedding in Newport, Rhode Island. September 12, 1953. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 19 of 45 Ted Kennedy (left) and John F. Kennedy on the sailboat Victura in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. Circa 1946–52 John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 20 of 45 From left: Kathleen Kennedy, an unidentified family friend, Eunice Kennedy, John F. Kennedy, and Rosemary Kennedy outside the family home in Brookline, Massachusetts. 1924 or 1925. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 21 of 45 From left: Eunice Kennedy, John F. Kennedy, Joe Kennedy Jr., Rosemary Kennedy, and Kathleen Kennedy on a small boat in Cohasset, Massachusetts. 1923 or 1924. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 22 of 45 A young John F. Kennedy with the family dog, Bobby, in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. 1925. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 23 of 45 Robert F. Kennedy wearing a leather football helmet outside the Kennedy family home in Bronxville, New York. October 1935. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 24 of 45 From left: Patricia Kennedy (standing), Gene Kennedy (seated), Ted Kennedy, and Robert F. Kennedy at Breakers Beach in Palm Beach, Florida. March 1934. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 25 of 45 John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy with a sailfish caught by John F. Kennedy during their honeymoon in Acapulco, Mexico. 1953. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 26 of 45. A teenage John F. Kennedy poses on the lawn of the family home in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. Circa 1932. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 27 of 45. Top to bottom: Ted Kennedy, John F. Kennedy, and Robert F. Kennedy in Palm Beach, Florida. April 1936. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 28 of 45. John F. Kennedy holds a snake at Trapper Nelson's Jungle Zoo and Gardens in Jupiter, Florida. Rosemary Kennedy is in the background. Spring 1936. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 29 of 45. John F. Kennedy swings a golf club in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. 1934. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 30 of 45 From left: John F. Kennedy, Lem Billings, and an unidentified girl on a boat in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. July 1935. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 31 of 45 A young Ted Kennedy sits in a wheelbarrow while his sister, Jean Kennedy, rocks behind him outside their home in Bronxville, New York. October 1935. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 32 of 45 Ted Kennedy holds an orange in a grove in Palm Beach, Florida. Spring 1934. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 33 of 45 Rose Kennedy (right) and her sister, Agnes Fitzgerald, pose in front of Yosemite Falls in Yosemite National Park. 1923. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 34 of 45 Kathleen Kennedy poses with an alligator at the Lantana Zoo in Lantana, Florida. March 1934. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 35 of 45 Kathleen Kennedy (left) and Rosemary Kennedy ride in a pedicab in Palm Beach, Florida. Spring 1934. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 36 of 45 Robert F. Kennedy with a pet rabbit in Palm Beach, Florida, on Easter Sunday. April 1934. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 37 of 45 Ted Kennedy sits in the rock garden near the Kennedy family home in Bronxville, New York. Circa May 1937. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 38 of 45 Robert F. Kennedy steers the boat Devils near Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. 1937. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 39 of 45 John F. Kennedy (lying down) reaches toward the swimming pool at the Kennedy family home in Palm Beach, Florida. Circa 1937. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 40 of 45 John F. Kennedy with two family friends, Eppie Whitney (standing) and Charlotte McDonnell (seated), at the Kennedy family estate in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. Summer 1941. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 41 of 45 John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy return to the White House from Palm Beach, Florida, with their daughter Caroline and infant son John F. Kennedy Jr. February 1961. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 42 of 45 First lady Jackie Kennedy holds John F. Kennedy Jr. and walks beside Caroline Kennedy as military personnel escort the family aboard Air Force One for the trip to Palm Beach, Florida. Jackie is followed by the children's nanny, Maude Shaw. Andrews Air Force Base, January 1962. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives 43 of 45. Edward Kennedy points a toy gun at the camera at the family home in Palm Beach, Florida. December 1941 or January 1942. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives. 44 of 45. Gene Kennedy rides a bicycle in Palm Beach, Florida. Circa 1942. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives. 45 of 45.
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The rise and fall of the Kennedy family in 44 colorized photographs. View gallery
Rising from immigrant roots to the highest offices in the country, the Kennedy family embodied both the promise and peril of American ambition. They were glamorous, fiercely competitive, and deeply connected to the political heart of the United States.
The family's American history began with Patrick Joseph Kennedy, a poor Irish immigrant who arrived in Boston in the mid-19th century. Through hard work and shrewd investments, P.J. Kennedy amassed a fortune in liquor trading and local politics. His son, Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., took this legacy to the next level, amassing a fortune in banking, real estate, film, and the stock market. Joe Sr. also had political ambitions, serving as the US ambassador to Great Britain in the late 1930s, and these ambitions continue to haunt his family to this day.
Joe Sr. and his wife, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, the daughter of a prominent Boston mayor, raised nine children together, combining strict Catholic discipline with boundless expectations. This combination produced war heroes, senators, advocates for social change, and even a U.S. president.
But it would also lead to large-scale family tragedies.
Grew up in the Kennedy family
To understand what it was like growing up in the Kennedy family, it makes sense to follow the life of the family's most famous member: John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States.
John F. Kennedy, better known as JFK or “Jack” to his family, was born on May 29, 1917, in Brookline, Massachusetts, the second son of the Kennedy family. His siblings included Joseph Jr., Rosemary, Kathleen (“Kick”), Eunice, Patricia, Robert (“Bobby”), Jean, and Edward (“Ted”). The Kennedy family lived a comfortable and prosperous life, with vacation homes in Palm Beach and Hyannis Port on Cape Cod.
Young Jack's childhood was often marred by a series of health problems, many of which went undiagnosed. The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library lists one such illness—scarlet fever—he contracted at age three, but it was far from the only ailment he faced.
Thus, Jack spent much of his early years recovering.
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Archives. From left to right: John F. Kennedy, Jean Kennedy, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, Joe Kennedy Sr., Ted Kennedy (kneeling), Patricia Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Eunice Kennedy. The family stands outside their summer home in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, circa 1948.
Whether these were just rumors or not, Joe Sr. certainly made a huge fortune distributing alcohol after the repeal of Prohibition. And, like many of his descendants, Joe Sr. had a major influence on politics.
His political career included, among other positions, serving as Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission and as US Ambassador to the United Kingdom. His tenure in this position was largely characterized by a cautious, isolationist approach, particularly after the outbreak of World War II, when he witnessed the devastating consequences of the war in Europe.
This made him wary of U.S. involvement in the war, but his isolationist stance didn't dampen his belief that one of his sons could—and should—become president. Moreover, he envisioned a clear hierarchy: Joseph Jr. was destined to become president, with Jack essentially serving as a backup.
This continued until fate intervened.
World War II brings the Kennedy family into public life
World War II marked a turning point for the Kennedy brothers. Joseph Jr., a Navy pilot, was killed in 1944 during a dangerous mission in Europe, plunging the family into deep grief, and Joe Sr.'s presidential hopes shifted to Jack.
John Kennedy, for his part, also served heroically in the Pacific, commanding PT-109 and earning the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for rescuing his crew after a Japanese destroyer sank their boat. Soon after, he ran for Congress in Massachusetts's 11th congressional district, winning in 1946. Six years later, he was elected to the Senate.
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library ArchivesRosemary Kennedy stands outside the Kennedy family home in Palm Beach, Florida, circa 1937—four years before her tragic lobotomy.
However, Joe Sr. was concerned about his daughter's deteriorating mental state.
So in 1941, he sanctioned a procedure he hoped would calm Rosemary: a lobotomy. The operation proved disastrous, leaving Rosemary disabled but with the mental capacity of a child. As a result, she spent the rest of her life in nursing homes, hidden from public view.
And while her brothers reached the heights of success, Rosemary's tragic fate became a dark footnote in the Kennedy legacy.
The Kennedy Legacy and the Fall of Camelot
John Kennedy's presidency ushered in a new era of optimism for the American people. Kennedy pushed for comprehensive civil rights legislation, proclaimed the goal of landing a man on the moon by the end of the decade, created the Peace Corps, and expanded support for education and healthcare. Robert and Ted were equally influential in shaping civil rights legislation, healthcare, and social programs. They knew that knowledge, not ignorance, would make a nation great.
“The more knowledge we have, the more our ignorance becomes apparent.”
John F. Kennedy
Kennedy's White House tenure was nicknamed “Camelot,” a reference to King Arthur's castle, equating his presidency with a utopian kingdom from legend. But, like Camelot, it could not last long.
Sourse: www.allthatsinteresting.com
