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Home , Ed Clark (photographer), Ethel Kennedy, Kennedy (miniseries), Kennedy Compound, Kennedy family, Lisa Larsen

American Visionary: John F. ’s Life and Times

Organized by Wiener Schiller Productions in collaboration with the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library

Curated by Lawrence Schiller Project Coordinator: Susan Bloom

All images are 11 x 14 inches All frames are 17 x 20 inches

1.1 The Making of JFK John “Jack” Fitzgerald Kennedy at Nantasket Beach, , circa 1918. Photographer unknown (Corbis/Getty Images) The still-growing spent summers in Hull, Massachusetts on the Harbor up to the mid-1920s, before establishing the family compound in Hyannis Port.

1.2 The Making of JFK A young Jack in the ocean, his father nearby, early 1920s. Photographer Unknown (John F. Kennedy Library Foundation) Kennedy’s young life was punctuated with bouts of illness, but he was seen by his teachers as a tenacious boy who played hard. He developed a great love of reading early, with a special interest in British and European history.

1.3 The Making of JFK Joseph Kennedy with sons Jack (left) and Joseph Patrick Jr., Brookline, Massachusetts, 1919. Photographer Unknown (John F. Kennedy Library Foundation) In 1919 Joe Kennedy began his career as stockbroker, following a position as bank president which he assumed in 1913 at age twenty-five. By 1935, his wealth had grown to $180 million; the equivalent to just over $3 billion today.

Page 1 Updated 3/7/17 1.4 The Making of JFK The Kennedy children, June, 1926. Photographer Unknown (John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum) Left to right: Joe Jr., Jack, Rose Marie, Kathleen, and Eunice, taken the year Joe Kennedy Sr. rented the family summer home in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts.

1.5 The Making of JFK Traveling Europe on break from college, The Hague, 1937. Photographer Unknown (John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum) During prep school Kennedy’s instructors often remarked that he was a disorganized student whose work rarely matched his abilities, but an astute housemaster noted, “…when he grows up enough to gain seriousness of purpose, he will make a real contribution.”

1.6 The Making of JFK The Kennedy family at home, Bronxville, New York, 1937. Bradford Bachrach (John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum) Left to right: Joe Sr., Pat, Jack, Jean, Eunice, Bobby, Kathleen, Teddy, Rosemary, Joe Jr., and Rose.

1.7 The Making of JFK Vatican City, 1939. Photographer Unknown (John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum) During Joe Sr.’s service as U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom, the Kennedy family attends the coronation of Pope Pius XII. Later that year, JFK would spend his second college semester working at the American embassy in Paris, and travel to Poland, Moscow, and Berlin.

Page 2 Updated 3/7/17 1.8 The Making of JFK On the dance floor, , 1939. Peter Hunter (Magnum Photos) Eunice Kennedy’s eighteenth birthday party, during the family’s extended stay at the Embassy residence. While Joseph Kennedy was Ambassador to Britain, the whole family enjoyed a privileged social and diplomatic life.

1.9 The Making of JFK graduation, Cambridge, Massachusetts, June, 1940. Photographer Unknown (John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum) In prep school, the highest grade Kennedy received in public speaking was, remarkably, C+. At Harvard, Jack excelled; he made the Dean’s list, graduated cum laude, and published his senior thesis under the title of , which was a bestseller.

1.10 The Making of JFK Lieutenant Kennedy, Solomon Islands, South Pacific, 1943. Photographer Unknown (Corbis Historical/Getty Images) When Kennedy applied to the U.S. Army’s Officer Candidate School, he was rejected due to back problems, ulcers, and asthma. A year later, he was granted an exception and joined the U.S. Naval Reserve, which led to his position as commander of the patrol torpedo boat PT-109.

Page 3 Updated 3/7/17 1.11 The Making of JFK Navy Marine Corps medal ceremony, Boston, Massachusetts, June 12, 1944. Photographer Unknown (Bettmann/Getty Images) On his thirty-first mission, a Japanese destroyer sank Kennedy’s torpedo boat in the South Pacific. Two members of his crew died; Kennedy led the rest to safety, and was awarded the Navy Marine Corps Medal for “extremely heroic conduct as Commanding Officer.”

1.12 The Making of JFK Photo booth portrait, 1953. N/A (John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum) The Senator and his new wife pose in an automated photo booth, possibly taken during their honeymoon. Before accepting his marriage proposal, Jackie, an avid equestrienne, confided to a friend that she might actually be marrying a man who was allergic to horses, something she’d normally never have considered.

1.13 The Making of JFK Jack and Jackie stroll Georgetown with , Washington, D.C., May 8, 1954. Orlando Suero (Ullstein Bild/Getty Images) Prior to meeting Jack, Bouvier worked for -Herald as reporter and photographer for a daily Q&A feature. She’d studied at the University of Grenoble in , the Sorbonne in Paris, and had earned a BA in French literature from University.

Page 4 Updated 3/7/17 1.14 The Making of JFK Wedding day, Newport, , September 12, 1953. Lisa Larsen (The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images) By the time they married, Senator Kennedy was receiving considerable attention from the national press. Their wedding was the social event of the season, attended by 1,200 guests, among them diplomats, senators, and notable members of old-guard society, and reportedly drew two thousand spectators outside the church.

1.15 The Making of JFK With daughter Caroline, Georgetown, Washington, D.C., March 25, 1958. (The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images) Two years before JFK announced his presidential run, The North American Newspaper Alliance broke the news of Jackie’s pregnancy, writing, “A vital element has been added to the well-planned and generously financed campaign to make Senator Jack Kennedy President of the .”

1.16 The Making of JFK Kennedy for Congress headquarters, Boston, Massachusetts, September, 1946. Photographer Unknown (, The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images) The 28-year-old son of a millionaire with no first-hand experience in politics was an unlikely candidate for Massachusetts’ blue-collar Eleventh District, but Joe Sr.’s promotional savvy and political connections provided an edge that was surpassed only by JFK’s reputation as a war hero.

1.17 The Making of JFK The congressman films a commercial for his 1952 Senate run. Yale Joel (The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images) As Senator, Kennedy was a strong supporter of housing legislation for lower-income Americans, and introduced a bill to raise the minimum wage. It was during this period that he worked on his Pulitzer Prize-winning book .

Page 5 Updated 3/7/17 1.18 The Making of JFK Campaign event, Worcester, Massachusetts, May 18, 1952. Photographer Unknown (John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum) Recuperating from back surgery, the congressman greets women at a campaign tea with sisters Pat and Eunice, and mother Rose. The Kennedy women were valuable in facilitating female voter outreach in all JFK’s elections; local, state, and national.

1.19 The Making of JFK First-year congressman, age twenty-eight, with a longshoremen’s union official, Boston, 1946. Photographer Unknown (John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum) Kennedy was initially ambivalent about running for public office, but a motivated Joe Sr. helped lead Jack’s way toward a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. He served three terms.

1.20 The Making of JFK The McClellan Committee hearings, Washington, D.C., March, 1957. Photographer Unknown (John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum) Foreign affairs and domestic labor issues were Kennedy’s primary legislative interests while Senator; famously investigating corruption within American labor unions on The McClellan Committee, which demonstrated his abilities as a lawmaker. His Robert served as chief council.

1.21 The Making of JFK The Democratic National Convention, , Illinois, August 16, 1956. Photographer Unknown (John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum) Kennedy among his supporters at the Democratic National Convention, where he lost that year’s bid for Vice President. Nonetheless, the exposure put him on a national stage; recognition he would build upon into his 1960 presidential campaign.

Page 6 Updated 3/7/17 1.22 The Making of JFK An “unofficial” campaign visit to Coos Bay, Oregon, 1959. Jacques Lowe (The Jacques Lowe Estate) By the time Kennedy formally announced his presidential run in 1960, he’d been campaigning for his party’s nomination for nearly three years. This was a strategic and necessary effort; he was considered a long shot in a crowded field of favored Democratic competitors.

1.23 The Making of JFK Senator Kennedy and fiancée Jacqueline Bouvier, Life magazine photo shoot, Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, June 1953. Hy Peskin (Archive Photos/Getty Images) From the moment they announced their engagement, Jack and Jackie were a couple to watch, in no small part due to the efforts of Joe Kennedy, who astutely understood the power of an image and the importance of the press.

1.24 The Making of JFK Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts, 1957. Philippe Halsman (Magnum Photos) His experience on the committees for Foreign Relations and Labor and Public Welfare while serving as Senator helped Kennedy develop and refine the that would lead his presidential campaign.

Page 7 Updated 3/7/17 2.1 The Road to the Walking the pier, Nantucket, Massachusetts, , 1960. Photographer Unknown (Bettmann/Getty Images) Just days after a decisive win at the Democratic National Convention with over fifty percent of the vote to become the party’s nominee, catch the attention of well-wishers as they head to their yacht, Marlin, for a cruise on the Nantucket Sound.

2.2 The Road to the White House Kennedy boards the Caroline, 1960. Jacques Lowe (The Jacques Lowe Estate) Kennedy’s private plane, named for his daughter, was purchased by Joe Sr. for the 1960 presidential campaign. The family’s tremendous resources gave Senator Kennedy a distinct advantage in seeking the presidency.

2.3 The Road to the White House Campaign stop in Amherstdale, , April, 1960. Photographer Hank Walker (The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images) Kennedy speaks to Amherst Coal employees on one of fifty-three campaign stops in West Virginia over the month of April, 1960. Much of President Kennedy’s anti-poverty legislation was informed by what he learned and witnessed in rural West Virginia.

Page 8 Updated 3/7/17 2.4 The Road to the White House Senator Kennedy’s return home to Barnstable Municipal Airport, Hyannis, Massachusetts, July, 1960. Paul Schutzer (The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images) Jackie proved to be a valuable asset during the early stages of the primary, but her pregnancy with John Jr. required her to remain home in Georgetown before rejoining the campaign just a few weeks before the general election.

2.5 The Road to the White House The Democratic National Convention, , , July 13, 1960. Ralph Crane (The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images) Life magazine reported Kennedy’s efforts at the DNC as “Steam-rolling the crafty old pros of the party with ruthless efficiency” against a crowded field of six opponents, securing nearly twice of the second place candidate: Texas Senator Lyndon Johnson.

2.6 The Road to the White House Meeting with Bobby during the DNC, Los Angeles, July 13, 1960 Hank Walker (The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images) To secure the Southern votes badly needed to win the general election, Kennedy chose Lyndon Johnson as his running mate, despite an adamant objection from Bobby, who also served as his campaign manager. At their Los Angeles hotel, he informs his brother the decision has been made.

2.7 The Road to the White House Arrival of the Democratic nominee, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, July 15, 1960. Grey Villet (The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images) In his acceptance speech, Kennedy outlined his dissatisfaction with America’s progress, its lack of opportunity for the poor and disenfranchised, and stated that the country was lagging behind the Soviets in science and technology.

Page 9 Updated 3/7/17 2.8 The Road to the White House JFK campaigns with California Governor by his side, Los Angeles, California, 1960. Stanley Tretick (Corbis/Getty Images) Kennedy was one of only two Roman Catholics to run as major-party nominees; the other, Al Smith, ran in 1928. The anti-Catholic sentiment among Protestants persistently dogged his campaign through the primaries.

2.9 The Road to the White House Kennedy draws an unintended audience while preparing a speech, , , September, 1960. Paul Schutzer (The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images) As election day approached, Kennedy stepped up criticism of Nixon’s shifting positions: “What is Mr. Nixon, anyhow?” he asked, “The practical progressive? The outspoken conservative? The old Nixon? The new Nixon? The modern Republican? The old fashioned Republican?”

2.10 The Road to the White House Campaign rally, Amarillo, Texas, November 3, 1960. Richard Pipes Unknown N/A Texas was tough terrain for Democrats. Even though air traffic was temporarily suspended for a short rally at the Amarillo airport, Kennedy restrains an irate Johnson as Republican pilots deliberately run their engines to drown out speakers from the Democratic Party.

Page 10 Updated 3/7/17 2.11 The Road to the White House Kennedy tosses an autographed copy of Profiles in Courage to a supporter, Texas, September, 1960. Paul Schutzer (The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images) On his swing through Pennsylvania in September of 1960, Kennedy faced ardent supporters and harsh critics at the York County Fair.

2.12 The Road to the White House campaigns in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, November 1, 1960. Photographer Unknown (Bettmann/Getty Images) Nixon was a household name; a two-term incumbent vice president with an impressive foreign policy resume. Both candidates were considered moderates and enjoyed enormous popularity among their supporters; by late August, polls showed them tied at 47% each, with 6% undecided.

2.13 The Road to the White House Jacqueline Kennedy watches the fourth Kennedy-Nixon debate from the wings, , October 21, 1960. Paul Schutzer (The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images) The Kennedy-Nixon debates were the first to be televised, striking a new and indivisible union between politics and media; "It was TV more than anything else that turned the tide," Kennedy later acknowledged. *

2.14 The Road to the White House The third Kennedy-Nixon debate, New York City, October 13, 1960. Paul Schutzer (The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images) For their third of four televised debates, Kennedy is broadcast from New York, Nixon from Los Angeles; they appear on a split screen. While the second and third debates were widely considered Nixon wins, fewer viewers watched.

2.15 The Road to the White House Stump speech, October, 1960. Ed Clark (The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images) “Families forced from the farm will know how to vote…” Kennedy stated during his campaign, “The unemployed miners and textile workers…old people without medical care…families without a decent home…parents of children without adequate food or schools, they all know that it’s time for a change.”

Page 11 Updated 3/7/17 2.16 The Road to the White House Bobby and Ethel Kennedy cast their votes, Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, November 8, 1960. Jacques Lowe (The Jacques Lowe Estate) The election was the first in which and Alaska could participate, having received statehood a year prior. It was also the first election affected by the Twenty-second Amendment, prohibiting an incumbent president from seeking a third term.

2.17 The Road to the White House Elections results being tallied at Nixon headquarters in the Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles, California, November 8, 1960. Lawrence Schiller (Polaris Communications Inc.) It was one of the closest races in U.S. history. The final count, and the technology of the time, didn’t allow for an official call until the morning after the election.

2.18 The Road to the White House Nixon delivers televised statement at 3:30 a.m., Los Angeles, November 9, 1960. Lawrence Schiller (Polaris Communications Inc.) As election night stretches into the following morning, Nixon alludes to a Kennedy win, but stops short of conceding; “If the present trend continues…Senator Kennedy will be the next president of the United States,” he said, to the cry of jeering supporters.

2.19 The Road to the White House Movers transport Kennedy fashion mannequins, New York City, 1961. Yale Joel (The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images) Jackie’s influence on popular style was evident as early as 1960. In its inauguration day issue, LIFE magazine wrote, “The Jackie bandwagon…hit a new high last week when 217 fashion editors were exposed in New York to a flurry of mannequins, ads and style shows.”

Page 12 Updated 3/7/17 2.20 The Road to the White House Waiting for election results, Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, November 9, 1960. Jacques Lowe (The Jacques Lowe Estate) In front of the TV at Bobby Kennedy’s house the morning after election night; JFK, family, and aides continue to wait for the final call.

2.21 The Road to the White House Kennedy headquarters, Hyannis Port Armory, Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, November 9, 1960. Paul Slade (Paris Match Archive/Getty Images) Supporters and campaign volunteers watch as Nixon gives a statement at 3:30 a.m. EST while the votes were still being counted. By 6:00 a.m. the Kennedy margin appeared to face real threats in Minnesota and Illinois.

2.22 The Road to the White House Newspapers arrive to campaign headquarters, Hyannis Port Armory, Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, November 9, 1960. Henri Dauman (Henri Dauman Pictures) It wasn’t until 12:30 p.m., the day after the election, that Minnesota’s votes took Kennedy over the top. In the end, the popular vote was tight; 49.7% to Nixon’s 49.5%, but the electoral college win significant; 303 to Nixon’s 219.

2.23 The Road to the White House Family portrait the night of Kennedy’s win, Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, November 9, 1960. Paul Schutzer (The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images) Left to right: Ethel Kennedy, Stephen Smith, Eunice Shriver, Jean Smith, Joseph Kennedy, , John F. Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy, Patricia Lawford, , , Joan Kennedy, .

Page 13 Updated 3/7/17 2.24 The Road to the White House The First Couple head to the inauguration ceremony, Washington, D.C., January 20, 1961. Paul Schutzer (The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images) JFK’s unofficial campaign for President began as early as 1956. After years of voter outreach, thousands of miles traveled, countless rallies and stump speeches—and a fervid “Stop Kennedy” effort among his rivals—inauguration day had finally arrived.

2.25 The Road to the White House The inauguration speech, East Portico of the U.S. Capitol Building, Washington, D.C, January 20, 1961. Photographer Unknown (Archive Photos/Getty Images) “…Ask not what your country can do for you,” Kennedy famously stated in his inaugural message, “ask what you can do for your country.” It was a call to action; a declaration that democracy is the responsibility of every citizen.

2.26 The Road to the White House The President and First Lady at an Inaugural Ball, Washington, D.C., January 20, 1961. Paul Schutzer (The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images) The new President attended all five inaugural balls that evening, was out till almost 4:00 a.m., and began the first day of his administration, a Saturday, with a 9:00 a.m. staff meeting.

3.1 The President Kennedy and a pajama-clad John Jr., Washington, D.C., October 15, 1963. Stanley Tretick (Corbis Premium Historical/Getty) Every morning, Caroline or John Jr. would walk their father to the ; among the many distinctions of the Kennedy White House was the presence of young children. *

Page 14 Updated 3/7/17 3.2 The New Frontier White House dinner honoring Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of , Washington, D.C., April, 11, 1962. Steve Schapiro (Steve Schapiro) Many dresses Mrs. Kennedy wore were collaborations between the First Lady and her principle designer, . “The Jackie Look…created a worldwide impression of such dimension that she became the First Lady of the world,” Cassini later remarked.

3.3 The New Frontier Cellist Pablo Casals performs in the East Room of the White House, Washington, D.C., November 13, 1961. Mark Shaw (Mark Shaw Archive) JFK felt it essential for the president to demonstrate a regard for cultural and intellectual excellence; his administration’s support of the arts was unprecedented, and its First Lady led the charge.

3.4 The New Frontier Opening of the Mona Lisa Exhibit, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., January 8, 1963. Abbie Rowe (John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum) As facilitated by Jacqueline Kennedy and the French Minister of Cultural Affairs, André Malraux, the Mona Lisa comes to Washington for a historic three-week exhibition; the first time the painting had traveled to America.

Page 15 Updated 3/7/17 3.5 The New Frontier Jacqueline Kennedy views plans for the redevelopment of Lafayette Square, Washington, D.C., September 25, 1962. Robert Knudsen (John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum) Among Jacqueline Kennedy’s many historic preservation efforts was her rescue of the Renwick—America’s first building constructed expressly as an art museum in 1854— which was scheduled for demolition.

3.6 The New Frontier With nieces, and nephews at the , Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, Labor Day Weekend, 1962. Robert Knudsen (John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum) The President chauffeurs a joy ride for a pile of Kennedy cousins on the family summer property in Hyannis Port. Family scenes such as this fueled America’s obsession with the First Family.

3.7 The New Frontier Caroline and John Jr. at play in the Oval Office, Washington, D.C., October, 10, 1962. Cecil Stoughton (John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum) The Kennedys mirrored many young families across America, unified as a new generation, and sharing the same concerns for their children’s future in the face of nuclear uncertainty.

3.8 The New Frontier Surrounded by admirers in Santa Monica, California, August 19, 1962. Bill Beebe (Bettmann/Getty Images) The President surprises a crowd of beachgoers after impulsively leaving his sister Pat’s and brother-in-law Peter Lawford’s beach house and diving into the surf. He was immediately mobbed. “Best swim I’ve had in months,” he announced.

Page 16 Updated 3/7/17 3.9 The New Frontier A sixteen year-old meets the President in the White House rose garden, July 24, 1963. Arnold Sachs (Archive Photos/Getty Images) The future President attends the annual American Legion Boys Nation forum as an delegate; Clinton credits the visit as influencing his decision to pursue a career in public service.

3.10 The New Frontier The First Family departs the White House, Washington, D.C., circa late 1961. Photographer unknown (Bettmann/Getty Images) The Kennedys head to their Upperville, Virginia estate by Marine Corps helicopter; shortly after taking residence in the White House, the family leased a 400-acre country estate called Glen Ora, to give their children some time away from Washington.

3.11 The New Frontier At ground-Breaking Ceremonies for the San Luis Dam, Los Banos, California, August 18, 1962. Sam Vestal (Vestal Family Collection) Upon his visit to the new dam project site, Kennedy’s humor was in fine form, “It is a pleasure for me to come out here and help blow up this valley,” he said, to a burst of laugher from attendees.

3.12 The New Frontier Oval Office, Washington, D.C., January 1961. Jacques Lowe (The Jacques Lowe Estate) As captured by many photographers during his tenure in the White House, Kennedy often stood hunched over his desk rather than seated, in an effort to alleviate the pain from his problem back.

3.13 The New Frontier Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro and Soviet Premier at the Lenin Mausoleum in Red Square, Moscow, Russia 1961. Photographer unknown (Universal Images Group/Getty Images) After the failed U.S. invasion of Cuba at the Bay of Pigs, Castro’s strengthened his alliance with the Soviets. The CIA formulated several attempts to assassinate Castro, but none were successful.

Page 17 Updated 3/7/17 3.14 The New Frontier President Kennedy speaks at the United Nations General Assembly, New York City, September 25, 1961. Photographer Unknown (John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum) In his address, Kennedy urges the UN to meet the “challenges of our age,” presents six proposals for the new Disarmament Program, and provides status on the current crises in Berlin, , , and South .

3.15 The New Frontier Nuclear arms protest, New York City, November 3, 1961. Steve Schapiro (Steve Schapiro) Protestors against the arms race march in diapers, masked as the leaders of the world’s two nuclear superpowers: President Kennedy and Russian premier Nikita Khrushchev.

3.16 The New Frontier Primary school students during an atomic bomb drill, Los Angeles, California, circa 1962. Lawrence Schiller (Polaris Communications/Getty Images) During the era of the late and early , an ominous feature of American life were the “duck and cover” drills designed to provide protection against an atomic blast and its thermal effects.

Page 18 Updated 3/7/17 3.17 The New Frontier Chancellor of , Konrad Adenauer, and President Kennedy view the communist wall, West Berlin, Germany, June 26, 1963. Photographer Unknown (Rex USA) Kennedy arrives at Checkpoint Charlie to view Berlin’s eastern sector. Opposite the wall, communist banners erected for his visit bear boastful slogans in English. Many East Berliners are gathered 200 yards beyond the border, and stand in silence.

3.18 The New Frontier Televised address, Los Angeles, California, October 22, 1962. Ralph Crane (The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images) President Kennedy draws attention in a department store with televised announcement confirming the presence of Soviet missiles in Cuba, just ninety miles off the coast of , and the imposition of a U.S. naval blockade.

3.19 The New Frontier The President boards Air Force One, Palm Beach, Florida, June, 1961. Lynn Pelham (LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images) During a period of 1961 Kennedy was forced to use a cherry picker to board airplanes due to the painful back complications he struggled with for most of his life, rendering him unable to climb stairs.

3.20 The New Frontier Nikita Khrushchev and Jacqueline Kennedy, Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna, , June 3, 1961. Paul Schutzer (The LIFE Picture Collection) The evening prior to the summit between Kennedy and Khrushchev, the Soviet Premier barraged Jackie with a stream of jokes and boasts. When Kennedy was asked about his first meeting with the Soviet Premier, he confessed, “Worst thing in my life. He savaged me.”

Page 19 Updated 3/7/17 3.21 The New Frontier President Kennedy tours NASA facilities in Huntsville, Alabama, September 11, 1961. Bob Gomel (LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images) After the Soviets launched the first successful probe to the moon and surpassed America with the first human orbit of earth, the “Space Race” was declared a top priority; Kennedy promised to land a man on the moon by the end of the decade.

3.22 The New Frontier Civil rights demonstrators, Birmingham, Alabama, 1963. Photographer Unknown (Bettmann/Getty Images) Segregation protestors brace themselves against the high-pressure fire hoses of firemen and riot police. By 1963, the contention over integration had reached fever pitch, placing Kennedy in a difficult position; taking a stand for social equality without alienating the conservative democrats who supported his presidential win.

3.23 The New Frontier Arrival in Dallas, Texas, November 22, 1963. Art Rickerby (The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images) At 11:45 a.m., the President and Mrs. Kennedy arrive at Love Field during a campaign tour. The President was advised not to make the trip, but felt it important in order to rally Southern support for his second term.

3.24 The New Frontier President Kennedy’s assassination is announced on a national news bulletin, New York City, November 22, 1963. CBS Evening News (CBS/Getty Images) Following a previous report about shots fired at Kennedy in Dallas, CBS news anchor Walter Cronkite, visibly upset, announces JFK’s death, “… the flash, apparently official: President Kennedy died at one p.m. Central Standard Time.”

Page 20 Updated 3/7/17 3.25 The New Frontier President Kennedy is struck by the assassin’s first bullet, Dallas, Texas November 22, 1963. Photographer unknown (Popperfoto/Getty Images) Confused bystanders watch the passing motorcade as Mrs. Kennedy grasps her husband after he is shot through the back. Texas Governor , seated in the front of the President, is also hit.

3.26 The New Frontier Storefront memorial, Washington, D.C., November 1963. Dan Budnik (Contact Press Images) In the wake of the assassination, ad hoc memorials appeared in a variety of unlikely places, as a shaken and distraught nation sought to right itself, express its grief, and honor its fallen president.

3.27 The New Frontier Jacqueline Kennedy departs the White House on the day of her husband’s , Washington, DC, November 25, 1963. I.C. Rapoport (Archive Photos/Getty Images) The Kennedy assassination and the dramatic series of events that unfolded immediately afterward were given non-stop television coverage over four days. It was America’s first epic, shared funeral; seen by millions via satellite, broadcast to twenty-three countries.

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