Figure 1.--Here are Jackie and gher younger sister Lee with the maternal Ryan cousins about 1935. The children to the left are are Joan, Mimi, and John Ryan. Jackie and Lee are at the right. Notice the white cloves and Johb's Eton collar. |
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Jacqueline Lee Bouvier was born in 1929 and grew up in affluent family circumstances. Her father was John Vernon Bouvier III. Her mother was Janet Lee. The family lived in New York City and East Hampton, Long Island. She learned to ride at an earky age and had a passion for horses as a girl. Jackie was sent to exclusive private schools. In addition to her horses she akso studied balet. At school she liked to write poems and stories as well as draw illustrations for them. Her mother divorced her father and married Hugh D. Auchincloss (1942). Their mother brought Jackie and her sister to "Merrywood," his rural home near Washington, D.C. They spent summers at Auchincloss' Newport, Rhode Island estate for the summer social season. It was there that she received "the Debutante of the Year" accoldae during the 1947-1948 season. She went to Vassar. She spent her junior year in France pefecting her French and learning a great deal about French culture. She graduatied from George Washington University. As a result, Mrs. Kenndy entered the White House as one of the most urbanne cultured women in history. After receiving her degree she got a job as the "inquiring photographer" for the Washington Star. It was at this time that she met then Senator Kennedy, one of Washington's most eligible bachelors.
Jackie's father was John "Black Jack" Vernon Bouvier III. Her mother was Janet Lee, the daughter of a well-to-do Manhattan builder. Like her future son-in-law's family, in was the Irish Potato Famine that brought Janet Lee's family to America. The two married when Janet was only 21 years old. Unlike the Kennedy's Janet was not nostolgic about Ireland, in fact embarssed her. Jackie was enchanted with her dashing husband. It was her mother, however, that was responsible for strength-of-character as well as her artistic sence. [Pottker] While Jack was a heavy drinker and proved to be a dreadful husband, he was a doting father. The marriage was a dissaster. It finally resulted in a sandalous divorce.
Jackie had a younger sister--Lee. She was also close to her maternal cousins, the Ryans seen here (figure 1).
Jacqueline Lee Bouvier was born in 1929 and grew up in affluent family circumstances. The family lived in New York City and East Hampton, Long Island. She learned to ride at an earky age and had a passion for horses as a girl. She was an aggressive rider even at a young age. Jackie was a successful competitive rider. In addition to her horses she akso studied balet. At school she liked to write poems and stories as well as draw illustrations for them. Her parents problems affected Jackie. She had a terrible temper as a girl and would throw fitful tantrums if she did not get her way. [Pottker, p. 73.]
There were 10 Bouvier couusins which played during family get togethers, usually for Sunday lunches. Jackie's father aklways took her and Lee's side in discussions and squables. As a result, the others would give the girls a hard time when he wasn't close. Favorite torments would be to stick burrs in their hair or throw fire crackers at them. [Pottker, p. 75.] The Boiuveir grandparents stressed artistic appreciation. The children were encouraged to write poems abd draw. Their mother reqired the girls to learn a poem to recite for every important holiday. [Pottker, p. 75.]
One of Jackie's strongest childhood memories was the constant fighting between her parents--especially the yelling. She would hide in the dark hallway and listen. She was overwealmed by the yelling. [Davis] Her mother divorced her father in scandal.
a Jackie's mother had little money of her own. After divorcing John Bouvier, Jackie's mother married married wealthy Hugh D. Auchincloss (1942). His Scottish ancestors had made a fortune in dry goods trade. Like many rich Americans, Hugh attentded private schools, in his case Groton--perhaps the most influential American private schools. Hugh was Unlike her first marriage, this one was a success. The marriage lasted 34 years. Auchincloss died in 1976. Hugh offered Janet and her daughters financial security.
Their mother brought Jackie and her sister to "Merrywood," his rural home near Washington, D.C. Auchincloss was a widower with children. The older son was Hugh D. III (Yusha) who was a teenager at the time and welcomed his new step-mother a step sisters to the family. Janet anfd Hugh had a son, James Lee (Jamie) and a daughter, Janet Lee who died of cancer when she was only 39 years old.
Hugh Auchincloss provided Janet and her girls both stability and the affluence to provide the a pampered childhood in upper-class America. The family spent summers at Auchincloss' Newport, Rhode Island estate for the summer social season. It was there that she received "the Debutante of the Year" accoldae during the 1947-1948 season.
Jackie was sent to exclusive private schools. After Kindergarten she went to the excusive Miss Chapin's School. She was the brightest girl in the class and the naughtiest. [Pottker, p. 74.] She went to Vassar. She spent her junior year in France pefecting her French and learning a great deal about French culture. She graduatied from George Washington University. As a result, Mrs. Kenndy entered the White House as one of the most urbanne cultured women in history.
After receiving her degree she got a job as the "inquiring photographer" for the Washington Star. Her kob was to get photographs of socially prominent Washinftonians. It was while working as a photographer that she met then Senator Kennedy, one of Washington's most eligible bachelors.
John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born in Brookline, Mass., May 29, 1917, the great-grandson of Irish immigrants. He became one of the most charismatic leaders of the United States when he was elected president in 1961. He was, at the age of 43, the youngest man and the first Roman Catholic ever elected to the presidency. Rich, handsome, elegant, and articulate, he aroused great admiration at home and abroad. His assassination in Dallas, Texas in November 1963 provoked outrage and widespread mourning. His term of office as president was short but launched American on a path of securing basic civil rights for all its citizens and a technology race with the
Russians to the moon which was an important element in forging America's echnological
dominance in the last quarter of the 20th Century.
Senator Kennedy and Jacqueline Lee Bouvier were married at Newport in 1953. Mrs. Kennedy was used to high society, but had no experience with politics. She soon had to adapt to life as the wife of a prominent political figure as well as a new member of the boisterous Kennedy clan. She proved to be a sensation at her public appearances, but she tried to limit them as much as possible.
Their first child was a stillborn daughter. Caroline Bouvier arrived in 1957. John Jr. was born a few years later after Senator Kennedy's election in 1960. Patrick Bouvier was born in 1963 a few months before President Kennedy's assasination. He lived only 2 days. Jackie as First Lady jeaously guarded the cildren's privacy. Jack as President loved to show them off.
Mrs Kennedy was one of the most notable First Ladies in presidebntial history. Washington was used to a series of middle age matrons. Mrs. Roosevelt had stirred up Washington, but not Washingtoin society or cultural life in which she took little interest. Mrs Kennedy took an active interest in the city's cuktural life and invited renowned musicians to the White House. The President was often unfamiliar and had to be cued when to stand up and congratulate the pergormer. (At first he would begin aplauding too early.) Mrs. Kennedy's interest in the arts was extensiveky covered by the press. This helped inspire a greater attention to the arts on a national level. Mrs. Kennedy also took a great interest in the White House. She devoted considerable energy to restoring the White House and acquiring period pieces with which to furnish it. She did not actively entered political life, but defined her role as "to take care of the President". The children were of course another principle concen. She also said, "if you bungle raising your children, I don't think whatever else you do well matters very much."
Mrs Kennedy was with the Presisent when he was shot in Dallas. A motorcade in an open car was staged through the downtown section of Dallas. The whole reason for the trip was to give maximum exposure to the President and Mrs. Kennedy, along with Vice President and Mrs. Johnson, and Governor and Mrs. Conley. The President had carried Texas in the 1960 election, but not had done very well in a very close national election. And it was Johnson's home state. They were concerned about the 1964 election which was only a year away and carrying Texas with it growing number of electoral votes was vital. They wanted to improve on the 1960 results. So the Democrats wanted to give the people of Texas an opportunity to see these people, especilly the Kennedys. Mrs. Kennedy sat right next to him in the back seat of the open 1961 Lincoln Continental. It was selected because it was a convertible cars so people would have the chance to see the Kennedys up close and personal with the Texas Democrats. The people of Dallas turned out in large numbers. They were enthusiastic anout the presidential visit and the channce to see the President and First Lady. The Presidential Party was happy with the reception. The motorcade traveled down Main Street in Dallas. The the crowds were some 15 to 20 deep on each side of the street giveing the Kennedys a loud, warm reception. People were even hanging out of windows on the side of buildings, on rooftops, fire escapes -- wherever they could be to get a good view of the Kennedys. Mrs. Kennedy wore a bright pink outfit. After the bullets hit, the Presudent's blood and spattered all over her. You can only imagine what must have gone through her mind at the time. She courageosly attempted to retrieve a chiuck of the President;s brain matter which had blown on to he back of the car. A Secret Service agent writes, " ... a third shot rang out and it hit the President in the head and I not only heard that but I felt it because it was so violent that when it entered the President’s skill it entered low in the rear and then it erupted out of the right rear side of the President’s head and blood, brain matter and skull fragments came out of that wound and was all over the car and all over me and Mrs. Kennedy and as I started to get out Mrs. Kennedy got out as well and started climbing up to the back of the trunk and was trying to reach some of that material that had come out of the President’s head and she didn’t even realize that I was there. So I grabbed her and put her back into the back seat and when I did that his body fell into Mrs. Kennedy’s lap and the right side of his face was up and I could see that his eyes were fixed and there was a hole in his skull and I could see no brain matter was left in that area and I could see that it was a fatal wound so I turned and gave a thumbs down to the other agents in the follow up car and screamed at the driver to get us to a hospital and we took off down the freeway at a high rate of speed going to the hospital." [Hill] At the time and in the aftermath, Mrs. Kennedy's bravery was noted by the entire country. No other First Lady ever demonstrrated such bravery and grace under such tragic circumstabces.
Mrs. Kennedy and the children remained in the White House for 2 weeks after the President was shot. A week after the assasination, Mrs. Kennedy conented to an interviewed in Hyannis Port by Theodore H. White of Life magazine (November 29, 1963). During the interview, she famously compared the Kennedy pesideny and White House years to King Arthur's mythical Camelot. At the time 'Camelot' was a big hit on Broaway. The President apparently liked to played the title song of Lerner and Loewe's musical before bed. She also quoted Queen Guinevere from the musical, trying to express her personal loss. The media would subsequently begin to refer to the Kennedy years as the 'Camelot Era'. The Vietnam War
and the Watergate scandal which followed probably played a role in this feeling. And Mrs. Kennedy's desire to lionize her husband also played a role. President Johnson in an effort to assist Mrs. Kennedy, offered her an ambassadorship to France. Mrs. Kennedy was soke fluent French was known to to have an apreciatiin for French culture. She declined this and other offers, but appreciated the President's kindnes. Following the assassination, she and the children stayed in Washington at Averell Harriman's home in Georgetown (Winter 1963-64). Mrs Kennedy remained in mourning (1964). She made very made few public appearances. Her brother-in-law, Rober Kennedy, at the time the attorney general, made a special effort to support her and the children. Mrs. Kennedy made a natioanal television appearance from the Attorny Gerneral's Office (January 14, 1964). She thanked Americans for all the mesages of support. She said that she had been sustained by America's affection for her late husband. She purchased a house for herself and her children in Georgetown, but then decided that they were better off in New York City. She and the children moved to New York where she found a measure of privacy for herself and the children. She chose a 15th-floor penthouse apartment on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. Her major concern was the children, but she appeared in a variety of memorial dedications to honor the president. A major project was the establishment of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. The Pesidential Libaries are the repository for official papers of a presidential. The building was designed by architect I.M. Pei, it is lcated next to the University of Massachusetts campus in Boston. A major issue developed over historian William Manchester's book project, The Death of a President.
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Despite having commissioned William Manchester's authorized account of President Kennedy's death, The Death of a President, Jacqueline was subject to significant media attention in 1966–1967 when she and Robert Kennedy tried to block the publication.[133][134][135] They sued publishers Harper & Row in December 1966; the suit was settled the following year when Manchester removed passages that detailed President Kennedy's private life. White viewed the ordeal as validation of the measures the Kennedy family, Jacqueline in particular, were prepared to take to preserve President Kennedy's public image.
During the Vietnam War in November 1967, Life magazine dubbed Kennedy "America's unofficial roving ambassador" when she and David Ormsby-Gore, former British ambassador to the United States during the Kennedy administration, traveled to Cambodia, where they visited the religious complex of Angkor Wat with Chief of State Norodom Sihanouk.[136][137] According to historian Milton Osbourne, her visit was "the start of the repair to Cambodian-US relations, which had been at a very low ebb".[138] She also attended the funeral services of Martin Luther King, Jr. in Atlanta, Georgia, in April 1968, despite her initial reluctancy due to the crowds and reminders of President Kennedy's death.[139]
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Mrs. Kennedy's brother-in law, Robert Kennedy, was shot and killed during the Democratic primary campaign (June 1968). She was very close to him. He had played an imprtant role after the Presiden's assasianition in heliping her and the children. She suffered from he same serious depression that she faced after her husbamd's asaination. Mrs Kennedy had serious concerns about noy only her own life and that of her children. Mrs. Kennedy had money, but not the kind of money that could guarantee the serious security she thought they needed. After Robert Kennedy's death, Jacqueline reportedly suffered a relapse of the depression she had suffered in the days following her husband's assassination nearly five years prior. She came to fear for her life and those of her children, saying: "If they're killing Kennedys, then my children are targets ... I want to get out of this country". This was amajor factor in her decision to marry an elderly friend for many years, Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis (October 20, 1968). Onasis at this time was 23 years older than Mrs. Kennedy, but not really elsely. They married on Skorpios, an island Onassis owned in the Ionian Sea. Mrs. Kennedy took the legal name Jacqueline Onassis. The marriage was sharply criticused in the media which began calling her Jackie O. Onasis' money brought her the ability to aford her the security and privay she wanted including financial independence. Mrs. Onassis continued to make sure that the childen had a continued a connection with the Kennedy family. She aranged to have Senator Ted Kennedy visit them often. As a result she developed a closer relationship with Senator Kennedy. Onassis' health began to rapidly decline after his son Alexander was killed in a plane crash (1973). Onassis died of respiratory failure in Paris (1975). He was 69 years old, not that old today. Her inheritance was affected by Greek law which limited how much a non-Greek wifw could inherit. Extended legal wrangling ensued. Christina Onassis—Aristotle's daughter and sole heir finally settled on $26 million.
Mrs Kennedy spent her later years in New York City. She worked as an editor for Doubleday.
Davis John O. Jacqueline Boubie: An Intimate Memoir. Davis was a cousin.
Hill, Clint. "John F. Kennedy’s Secret Service agent recounts JFK’s assassination," heavy.com. (March 27, 2019).
Pottker, Jan. Janet & Jackie: The Story of a Mother and her Daughter Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (St. Martin's Press: New York, 2001), 381p.
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