JACQUELINE BOUVIER KENNEDY ONASSIS in 1961, John F. Kennedy

Biography/ Reading Comprehension

JACQUELINE BOUVIER KENNEDY ONASSIS

In 1961, John F. Kennedy was elected President of the United States. His wife, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, became the “First Lady”. She was one of the youngest First Ladies ever, and remains one of the most popular even today.

She was born Jacqueline Lee Bouvier in 1929. She lived in New York City and East Hampton, Long Island. She loved riding horses and had lessons at a very early age. She went to private schools. Her interests were ballet, drawing, and writing poems and stories.

Jacqueline went to Vassar College and traveled around Europe. She became a photographer for a Washington, D.C., newspaper and soon met Senator John F. Kennedy. They were married in 1953. They had a daughter named Caroline and a son named John, Jr. John, Jr. was born just before his father became president. The family moved into the White House in 1961.

“First Lady” is not an official title; the person is not elected and has no official duties. However, there are general expectations that the First Lady will be the social grace of the White House. Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy did this very well, bringing together artists and politicians with her charm and charisma. She was also responsible for the restoration of the White House, making it clear for the future that the White House is an important historical monument as well as the President’s residence.

Kennedy was a devoted mother. She said, “If you bungle raising your children, I don’t think whatever else you do will matter very much.” As First Lady, Jackie had many responsibilities, but her children always were her top priority. Although she understood the public’s interest in the “First Family”, she tried to protect her children from too much publicity and give them a relatively normal childhood.

Tragedy struck with the assassination of President Kennedy, who was shot in a motorcade as he sat beside his wife. Kennedy and her children moved to New York City. They lived out of the public eye as much as possible.

Kennedy married Aristotle Onassis in 1968. After his death in 1975, she moved back to New York City. She became an editor, first for Viking Press and then for Doubleday. Her interest in America’s cultural heritage, both its buildings and its people, is reflected in her activities, from protecting Grand Central Terminal from demolition to promoting a book by the last living member of the Harlem Renaissance.

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis died in 1994. She is remembered for her charm, her love for her family, and her preservation of America’s cultural heritage.

Name ______Date ______

ANSWER THE QUESTIONS ABOUT JACQUELINE BOUVIER KENNEDY ONASSIS

1. Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis was born in ______. a. 1964 b. 1929 c. 1953 d. none of these

2. As a child, Jacqueline’s interests were ______. a. writing b. riding horses c. ballet d. all of these

3. Which of the following is true? a. She married Aristotle Onassis in 1953. b. She attended private school. c. She had nine children. d. none of these

4. Jacqueline’s first priority was _____. a. riding horses b. the arts c. her children d. the American people

5. After her husband was killed, Jacqueline_____. a. moved to Florida b. moved to New York c. moved to France d. continued to serve as First Lady

6. Kennedy was known for ______a. being gracious b. her architectural abilities c. her work with the poor d. her biting wit