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Beyond Paris Beyond Paris Jacqueline Kennedy and the Presidency A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in the Faculty of Arts and Science TRENT UNIVERSITY Peterborough, Ontario, Canada © Copyright by Allen George Priest 2014 History M.A. Graduate Program January 2015 Abstract Beyond Paris: Jacqueline Kennedy and the Presidency Allen George Priest A presidential spouse in an era of rigid gender norms, Jacqueline Kennedy frequently straddled the divide between celebrity, social acceptability, and personal desire. Yet, history remembers America’s thirty-seventh First Lady more for her fashion and soft- spoken nature. Forgotten is that she was a ‘transitional’ figure, who oversaw America’s largest restoration of the White House and served as a ‘goodwill ambassador’ for her husband. When three gunshots brought their tenure to an abrupt end, Jackie’s focus shifted and she fixated on the creation of a legacy that immortalized JFK. ‘Camelot,’ is a construct almost exclusively conceived and executed by the former First Lady. In this vein, the coming exploration delves into the private actions of Jackie during her time in as First Lady, contrasting them sharply with her public image. What emerges is a portrait the world seldom saw: one driven by raw intellect and a desire to be of service to her husband and country. Keywords: Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, First Lady, President, United States, White House, Charles de Gaulle, Nikita Khrushchev, Jawalharal Nehru, Restoration, Assassination, Image, Memory, Legacy, Camelot. ii Acknowledgements This project began in the winter of 2011, as a term paper for a course taught by the phenomenal Dr. David Sheinin, who became my graduate supervisor. This exploration is truly the result of his leadership, much-needed tough love, and constant encouragement; along with numerous cups of coffee and lunches. He told me back then that he felt I was not done with this topic. He was right. Three years later, this is the result. January 2011 fell in the third year of my undergrad; it was also the fiftieth anniversary of inauguration of the Kennedy administration. There is a solemn eeriness to the fact that from start to finish, my work on this subject matter has dated the presidency of John F. Kennedy by several months. There are numerous individuals I need to thank for their much appreciated contributions, moral support, and guidance. It is only fitting to start at the top, with my fantastic committee. Dr. Finis Dunaway, Dr. Caroline Durand, and Dr. Carolyn Kay, were indispensable in their feedback and consultations throughout this process. I must also pay special thanks to Dr. Ronald Pruessen of the University of Toronto who agreed to serve as my external consultant, and took the time to advise and help with my defence. Furthermore, this project would not have been possible, without the generous financial support of Trent University’s History Department, Dr. Alan Wilson, the Trent Graduate Student’s Association, CUPE Local 3908, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). The fantastic staff of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, have my steadfast appreciation for their support throughout this journey. They made my visit to their archives an absolute pleasure. At every turn, they were there to answer and iii support this wide-eyed graduate student in the summer of 2013. There was no question too silly. In this regard, Steve Plotkin and his amazing staff deserve special acknowledgement. It is also very necessary to mention the colleagues and friends who surrounded me in these years. They have listened to endless stories about Jacqueline Kennedy, to the point of near-insanity. For his guidance, Dr. Arne Bialuschewski deserves special mention. Then come Hillary Craggs, Karen Everett, Jenilee Gobin, Mackenzie Gott, Dana Kenedy, Andrea Lanfranco, Rebecca Lee, Lisa Novic, Alice Scott, Chantal Wright, and Jennifer Yarrow, you have all be crucial to my success thus far. Special mention also goes out to my fellow graduate students, who have navigated this strange world with me. Hannah Howey, Michael Janczyn, Carlisle Mackie, Morganna Maylon, Erin McMorrow, Alexander McPherson, you are loved, and are all brilliant individuals. Last but not least, I must thank my family. None of the words that follow would have been possible without their love, support and encouragement (and financial assistance). Furthermore, this project may never have existed, had it not been for the influence of two particular individuals: my late grandfather, Albert Proctor, who taught me to never stop asking “why,” and my high school history teacher, Jennifer Miyauchi, who managed to infuse me with an appreciation for the past that has spanned two degrees, and will last a lifetime. - Allen Priest iv Table of Contents Abstract …………………………………………….………………………………… ii Acknowledgements …………………………………………………………………… iii Introduction: “Campaign Wife” ……………………………………………………… 1 Chapter One: “Queen of America” …...……………………………………………… 18 Chapter Two: “Art Director of the Twentieth Century”.……………..….…………… 52 Chapter Three: “Let Them See What They’ve Done” ………………..……………… 83 Conclusion: “An All-Seeing Eye and Ruthless Judgement” ………………….……… 114 Post Script: “God Will Have A Bit Of Explaining To Do” …………………………... 124 Endnotes ……………………………………………………………………………… 127 Bibliography ………………………………………………………………………….. 155 v 1 Introduction “Campaign Wife” On June 2, 1961, standing before a crowd of four hundred reporters at a luncheon held within the Palais de Chaillot, the thirty-fifth president of the United States introduced himself to the world. “I am the man,” he began with a characteristic smile, “who accompanied Jacqueline Kennedy to Paris. And I have enjoyed it.” 1 This spontaneous moment of humility on the part of the leader of the free world sent the crowd into a fit of laughter and applause, all the while paying homage to the “extraordinary impression”2 his cultured and intelligent wife made on the people of France. Jackie, who had once been described by her husband as “a little too much status and not enough quo,” 3 had begun to grow into a global phenomenon. The cult of celebrity that surrounded the young First Lady in Paris may feature prominently within the historiography that encircles the administration, but an exploration of the extraordinary opportunity it presented Jacqueline Kennedy has become lost amongst the very cultural frenzy that thrust her into the spotlight. Instead, Jackie’s legacy is puzzlingly confined to that of “the country’s housewife, the homemaker extraordinaire,” while her fashionable nature and “silent elegance [served as what can only be described as] pure supplement to Jack’s fabled charismatic power.”4 This dichotomy between her refined public image and the subtle yet driven private nature of Jacqueline Kennedy is perhaps best embodied within Aaron Shikler’s series of paintings of the former First Lady. The official selection now hangs in a position of prominence within the White House; it is the portrait that is known to the public. Jackie stands, gazed fixed from the observer, her regal dress blending into the backdrop. 2 She appears determined, albeit a touch broken. The painting is ethereal, and as such offers the viewer a strange contrast to their historical memory of the former First Lady. It is foreign, because there is little of the traditional, stylish, and worldly matron of the White House that the American people came to know during Jackie’s tenure in the mansion. Determined to show her “reserve and strength” in light of the assassination, Shikler selected this portrayal over an earlier attempt. Long since dismissed as a “study” by both the artist and the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, the original painting offers an antithesis to the one that now hangs in the White House. Frozen in time, this original work shows the young First Lady standing, arms poised in front of her, clothed in a ruffled white blouse and flowing black skirt. Her porcelain face that holds only the slightest hint of a mischievous grin frames her dark, wide eyes. Rejected by Shikler as far too “girlish and coy,” this is the public face of Jacqueline Kennedy.5 It is far more comforting than its successor, because in it, we see the familiar. Historically, Mrs. Kennedy remains a traditional example of what a presidential spouse should be: image conscious, supportive, and engaging. When compared to the modern activism of many First Ladies, however, including Rosalyn Carter, Hillary Clinton, and now Michelle Obama, the influence and memory of Jacqueline Kennedy’s tenure does seem dated. Part of the problem lies in what presidential historian Gil Troy terms the “extra-constitutional improvisation” that has enhanced the position of First Lady over the past half-century. As the office has grown, its continued reinvention and evolution has moved the bar regarding what the president’s spouse should be.6 How, then, do we assess the influence of America’s thirty-seventh First Lady in the twenty-first century? American presidential history tends to categorize First Ladies, the same way it 3 attempts to define the vice presidency. There are those who are more activist and others who are passive in their role. The complicated nature of placing Jacqueline Kennedy within this spectrum derives from the fact that she is not easily situated into either category. On the one hand, you have a woman who is fashionable, traditionally
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