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I've always enjoyed learning about history, as did Jackie. It's important to know about those who came before us and to celebrate their wins, and avoid repeating their shortfalls.

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In the face of losing her husband suddenly and publicly, Jackie showed extreme strength in the face of grief. Three days after JFK's death, on her son's third birthday, she put on a brave face in front of the American public for his funeral. Cameras were newly following the life of the First Family and captured this family's most heartbreaking moments.

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Jackie was tenacious in how she acted after her husband was assassinated next to her. She, in her blood-stained Chanel pink suit, was with Lyndon Johnson and his wife when Johnson was sworn in suddenly on Air Force One immediately after the assassination.

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Ronni Diamondstein is a children's book author, journalist, award-winning photographer and retired school library media and teacher of gifted and talented students in the U.S. and abroad. As an avid reader since childhood, libraries, books, and writing are her life's work.

Ronni immersed herself in the world of children's literature and nurtured her students' creativity by sharing her love of books. Ronni grew up reading and writing stories and creating writing opportunities for herself. In high school, Ronni successfully pitched a column for the school newspaper, so she had a voice. Many years later, she gave a voice to her toy poodle by creating the Maggie Mae Pup Reporter column in a local magazine writing from a dog's point of view that developed into a blog.

Ronni took pride in her collection development, as she enriched the lives of her students with extraordinary books, both fiction and nonfiction, that she read and recommended to them. Ronni once lived in a building in Rotterdam, the Netherlands called the "The Pencil," the perfect place for a writer!

Ronni's work has appeared in The New York Times, WAG Magazine, Inside Chappaqua magazine, U.S A. Trade Today, Window on the Netherlands, EuroHolland Magazine and Women's News. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, attended Bread Loaf Writers Conference and led writing workshops and open mics to encourage people of all ages to tell their stories.

Ronni served on the Board of the Chappaqua Children's Book Festival and is a Past President of the Chappaqua Library Board of Trustees. Jackie and the Books She Loved is her debut picture book. She lives in Chappaqua, New York with her toy poodle, Maggie Mae.

For more about me please visit my website www.ronnidiamondstein.com

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Jackie and the Books She Loved [Diamondstein, Ronni, Langley, Bats] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Jackie and the Books She Loved

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Early on, Jackie developed a love of books. Reading brought her great joy, and I also love reading too.

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Jacqueline Kennedy in the White House | JFK Library

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Jacqueline Kennedy in the White House | JFK Library

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Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy played a historic role during the Kennedy administration—in restoring the White House, supporting the arts, promoting historic preservation, and serving as a traveling ambassador.

Traveling Ambassador

Mrs. Kennedy's interest in the cultures of other countries and her fluency in languages made her a popular ambassador around the world. She accompanied her husband on trips to France, Austria, the United Kingdom, Venezuela, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Columbia and also traveled as first lady to Italy, Pakistan, and India

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John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum

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Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy played a historic role during the Kennedy administration-in restoring the White House, supporting the arts, promoting historic preservation, and serving as a traveling ambassador.

In January 1960, Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts announced his candidacy for the presidency of the United States, launching 11 months of cross-country campaigning. A few weeks into the campaign, Jacqueline Kennedy became pregnant with their second child, and her doctors instructed her to remain at home. There she answered campaign mail, taped TV commercials, gave interviews and wrote "Campaign Wife," a syndicated column carried across the nation.

Celebration of a Kennedy election victory was followed just weeks later by celebration of the birth of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Jr. At age 31, Jacqueline Kennedy became the third youngest first lady in US history and the first to be the mother of an infant since the turn of the century. Though she defined her major roles as 'to take care of the president' and raise her children, she would go on to make her own lasting marks as first lady.

In the White House

Jacqueline Kennedy had first visited the White House as a tourist with her mother and sister in 1941. She was dismayed to see so few historical furnishings on display and frustrated by the lack of a booklet to inform visitors about the history of the great house. Twenty years later, as first lady, she sought to change things and make the White House "the most perfect house in the United States."

Before her husband's inauguration, Mrs. Kennedy visited the White House as the guest of First Lady Mamie Eisenhower. Disappointed with its appearance, Mrs. Kennedy referred to the White House as "that dreary Maison Blanche." Calling it an "18th-century house," she believed that it should be furnished with antiques in the style of past presidents. It was, she thought, a museum that should reflect the artistic history of the United States.

Restoration, Not Decoration

"All these people come to see the White House and they see practically nothing that dates back before 1948," Mrs. Kennedy said in a September 1, 1961 interview with Hugh Sidey of Life magazine. "Everything in the White House must have a reason for being there. It would be sacrilege merely to "redecorate" it -- a word I hate. It must be restored -- and that has nothing to do with decoration. That is a question of scholarship."

Mrs. Kennedy's passion for history guided and informed her work in the White House. She wanted to share her knowledge and excitement about the past with all Americans, especially children. She understood that to a child, American history can often be a dry and dull affair, and she saw a visit to the President's House as a chance to spark each child's interest in the people who made the country what it is today.

An Historic Hunt

Mrs. Kennedy quickly learned that many White House furnishings of the past were kept in government storage facilities throughout Washington, DC. Presidential families had kept some pieces when they left the White House; others had been sold at public auctions in the 19th century.

Her goal was to restore the state rooms of the White House to reflect the artistic and architectural history of the presidential mansion. Within a month of becoming first lady, she established a White House Fine Arts Committee made up of experts in historic preservation and decorative arts.

Mrs. Kennedy and her committee located many pieces of furniture and artwork that had been owned by presidents, had been part of the White House collection, or exemplified the period portrayed in the different rooms. They also persuaded many owners of historic furnishings to donate them to the White House.

Most important among their finds were items that had belonged to Presidents Washington, Lincoln, and Madison. Mrs. Kennedy personally went through each White House storage room unearthing forgotten pieces. She then had them restored and returned to places of prominence.

She began with the restoration of the Oval Office. Among the pieces of furniture she found in the White House was a desk made from the timbers of the British sailing ship HMS Resolute, presented by Queen Victoria in 1878 to President Rutherford B. Hayes. Mrs. Kennedy had it dusted off and moved into the Oval Office where it remains today. An exact replica of the desk can be found in the Kennedy Library and Museum's Oval Office exhibit.

The White House Historical Association

To avoid the politically controversial use of public money for this work, Mrs. Kennedy established the White House Historical Association, which would publish the first official White House guidebook in 1962. All profits from the sale of the guidebook to the millions who toured the White House would be used to fund the restoration project and to purchase the furnishings and other historic materials located by the Fine Arts Committee.

Together with the newly appointed White House curator, she approved the guidebook's text, chose which photographs would be featured, and designed the layout. Within ten months of publication, 500,000 copies were sold. The White House: An Historic Guide continues to support the work of the White House Historical Association.

The White House on TV

With her project near completion, Mrs. Kennedy agreed to conduct a televised tour of the Executive Mansion for CBS Television on February 14, 1962. A record audience of 56 million viewers tuned in to hear the first lady as she guided them through the White House and its newly restored rooms. The White House, she said, was not only a place for the president to work and live, but also as a destination for every American who visited Washington, DC, a showcase for art and culture, and a place of national pride.

The tour was so well received that the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences awarded Mrs. Kennedy an honorary Emmy Award for her achievement.

Historic Preservation

Mrs. Kennedy's interests in historic preservation went beyond the White House walls. She asked her friend, Rachel "Bunny" Mellon, to redesign the president's Rose Garden. She envisioned the garden as a natural sanctuary and retreat just outside the Oval Office and an ideal space for greeting special visitors and large groups.

In 1962, Mrs. Kennedy learned that the historic homes that lined Lafayette Square across the street from the White House were scheduled for demolition to make room for large government office buildings. She personally intervened and commissioned a new plan that preserved the historical identity of the famous square. The period town homes were sheathed in red brick and the new office buildings placed behind them.

Mrs. Kennedy also advocated the restoration of Pennsylvania Avenue, the main thoroughfare that connected the White House to Capitol Hill, and supported creation of a national cultural complex, which eventually became the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC.

Her interest in preservation extended beyond the United States and included her involvement in the rescue of the ancient Egyptian temples at Abu Simbel, which were threatened by the floodwaters created by the Aswan Dam. Her enthusiasm for historical preservation contributed to its growing influence throughout the nation and enhanced Americans' understanding and appreciation of their heritage.

A Champion of the Arts

Mrs. Kennedy was also a patriot. Like President Kennedy, she believed that American civilization had come of age. Together they celebrated American arts and letters and encouraged Americans to take pride in their artistic, as well as their political, heritage. They used diplomatic occasions at home and abroad to express core national values; to celebrate American history, culture, and achievement; and to enhance the role of the arts in national life.

As first lady, Jacqueline Kennedy planned elegant state occasions, transforming the White House into a showcase for cultural and intellectual achievement. Authors, scientists, artists, musicians and actors mingled with politicians, diplomats, and statesmen. In the East Room, she had a portable stage built for musical and dramatic performances, including a series of concerts for young people. Through these activities and others, Mrs. Kennedy encouraged a new public regard for the arts. In the world of fashion, Mrs. Kennedy became a trendsetter. Her taste influenced designers, magazines, newspapers, and the public.

Traveling Ambassador

Mrs. Kennedy's interest in the cultures of other countries and her fluency in languages made her a popular ambassador around the world. She accompanied her husband on trips to France, Austria, the United Kingdom, Venezuela, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Columbia and also traveled as first lady to Italy, Pakistan, and India.

Mrs. Kennedy spoke French fluently. The extraordinarily warm reception she received on a visit to Paris in May 1961 prompted President Kennedy to remark, "I do not think it altogether inappropriate to introduce myself... I am the man who accompanied Jacqueline Kennedy to Paris, and I have enjoyed it."

After the White House

On November 22, 1963 John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas and Jacqueline Kennedy became a widow at age 34. She planned the president's state funeral, which was watched by millions around the world who shared her grief and admired her courage and dignity.

Soon after President Kennedy's death, she began the work to build the John F. Kennedy Library, which would commemorate her husband's life. She chose then-unknown architect I.M. Pei to design the library and decided upon a striking location overlooking Boston Harbor.

In 1968, Jacqueline Kennedy married Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis. After his death in 1975, she embarked on a successful career in publishing. On May 19, 1994, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis died in her New York City home. She was laid to rest beside President Kennedy in Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington, DC.

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Jacqueline Lee Bouvier was born on July 28, 1929 in Southampton, New York. Her father, John Vernou Bouvier III, was an affluent Wall Street stockbroker whose ancestors had arrived from France in the early 1800s. Her mother, Janet Lee Bouvier, an accomplished equestrienne, was of Irish and English parentage.

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Independent woman

Especially important as a woman in the 1950s & 1960s when women didn't occupy many positions outside of the home

Being a woman outside of a husband

She didn't let life take her down, even after being widowed twice

Fostered the love of literature all throughout her life

Wrote a poem at ten years old about her summer house

Became a book editor after her second husband passed

She dedicated her life to making books accessible to people.

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First Lady Jacqueline Lee "Jackie" (Bouvier) Kennedy Onassis was a symbol of strength for a traumatized nation after the assassination of one the country's most energetic political figures, President John F. Kennedy, who served from 1961 to 1963.

The inauguration of John F. Kennedy in 1961 brought to the White House and to the heart of the nation a beautiful young wife and the first young children of a President in half a century.

She was born Jacqueline Lee Bouvier, daughter of John Vernon Bouvier III and his wife, Janet Lee. Her early years were divided between New York City and East Hampton, Long Island, where she learned to ride almost as soon as she could walk. She was educated at the best of private schools; she wrote poems and stories, drew illustrations for them, and studied ballet. Her mother, who had obtained a divorce, married Hugh D. Auchincloss in 1942 and brought her two girls to "Merrywood," his home near Washington, D.C., with summers spent at his estate in Newport, Rhode Island. Jacqueline was dubbed "the Debutante of the Year" for the 1947-1948 season, but her social success did not keep her from continuing her education. As a Vassar student she traveled extensively, and she spent her junior year in France before graduating from George Washington University. These experiences left her with a great empathy for people of foreign countries, especially the French.

In Washington she took a job as "inquiring photographer" for a local newspaper. Her path soon crossed that of Senator Kennedy, who had the reputation of being the most eligible bachelor in the capital. Their romance progressed slowly and privately, but their wedding at Newport in 1953 attracted nationwide publicity.

With marriage "Jackie" had to adapt herself to the new role of wife to one of the country's most energetic political figures. Her own public appearances were highly successful, but limited in number. After the sadness of a miscarriage and the stillbirth of a daughter, Caroline Bouvier was born in 1957; John Jr. was born between the election of 1960 and Inauguration Day. Patrick Bouvier, born prematurely on August 7, 1963, died two days later.

To the role of First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy brought beauty, intelligence, and cultivated taste. Her interest in the arts, publicized by press and television, inspired an attention to culture never before evident at a national level. She devoted much time and study to making the White House a museum of American history and decorative arts as well as a family residence of elegance and charm. But she defined her major role as "to take care of the President" and added that "if you bungle raising your children, I don't think whatever else you do well matters very much."

Mrs. Kennedy's gallant courage during the tragedy of her husband's assassination won her the admiration of the world. Thereafter it seemed the public would never allow her the privacy she desired for herself and her children. She moved to New York City; and in 1968 she married the wealthy Greek businessman, Aristotle Onassis, 23 years her senior, who died in March 1975. From 1978 until her death in 1994, Mrs. Onassis worked in New York City as an editor for Doubleday. At her funeral her son described three of her attributes: "love of words, the bonds of home and family, and her spirit of adventure."
The biographies of the First Ladies on WhiteHouse.gov are from "The First Ladies of the United States of America," by Allida Black. Copyright 2009 by the White House Historical Association.
Learn more about Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy's spouse, John F. Kennedy.

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Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy | The White House

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First Lady Jacqueline Lee "Jackie" (Bouvier) Kennedy Onassis was a symbol of strength for a traumatized nation after the assassination of one the country's most energetic political figures, President John F. Kennedy, who served from 1961 to 1963. The inauguration of John F. Kennedy in 1961 brought to the White House and to the heart...

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Eight books for kids about First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, her life, the books and causes she loved and her style and poise.

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Read My Itty-Bitty Bio: Jackie Kennedy on Epic

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Read My Itty-Bitty Bio: Jackie Kennedy on Epic

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My Itty-Bitty Bio: Jackie Kennedy kids' book from the leading digital reading platform with a collection of 40,000+ books from 250+ of the world's best publishers. Read now on Epic.

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Jacqueline Lee Kennedy was the First Lady of the United States during the presidency of John F. Kennedy and was regarded then and afterward as an international icon of style and culture. Her second husband, Aristotle Onassis, was one of the wealthiest men in the world.
See the fact file below for more information on the Jacqueline Kennedy or alternatively, you can download our 20-page Jacqueline Kennedy worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information

EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION

Jacqueline Lee Bouvier was born on July 28, 1929 in Southampton, New York. Jacqueline was the elder of two daughters of Janet Lee and John ("Black Jack") Bouvier III, a stock speculator. Named after her father, Bouvier was baptized at the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola in Manhattan. Her sister Lee was born four years later in 1933.

From an early age, Jacqueline was an enthusiastic equestrienne who successfully competed in the sport. She also took ballet lessons, was an avid reader, and excelled at learning languages. Bouvier could speak English, Spanish, Italian, and French.

In 1935, Jacqueline was enrolled in Manhattan's Chapin School, which she attended for Grades 1-7.

She attended the Holton-Arms School in Northwest Washington, D.C. from 1942 to 1944, and Miss Porter's School in Farmington, Connecticut, from 1944 to 1947.

In 1947, Jacqueline entered Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. Jacqueline spent her junior year (1949-1950) in France-at the University of Grenoble in Grenoble, and at the Sorbonne in Paris-in a study-abroad program through Smith College.

MARRIAGE

Jacquelin and U.S. Representative John F. Kennedy belonged to the same social circle and were formally introduced by a mutual friend, journalist Charles L. Bartlett, at a dinner party in May 1952. Kennedy was busy running for the U.S. Senate in Massachusetts; the relationship grew more serious and he proposed to her after the November election.

Bouvier and Kennedy were married on September 12, 1953, at St. Mary's Church in Newport, Rhode Island, in a mass celebrated by Boston's Archbishop Richard Cushing.

The wedding was considered the social event of the season with an estimated 700 guests at the ceremony and 1,200 at the reception.

In the early years of their marriage, the couple faced several personal setbacks.

John suffered from Addison's Disease and from chronic and at times debilitating back pain, which had been exacerbated by a war injury; in late 1954, he underwent a near-fatal spinal operation.

Additionally, Jacqueline suffered a miscarriage in 1955 and in August 1956 gave birth to a stillborn daughter, Arabella.

Jacqueline gave birth to daughter Caroline on November 27, 1957. At the time, she and John were campaigning for his re-election to the Senate. In November 1958, John Kennedy was re-elected to a second term. He credited Jacqueline's visibility in both ads and stumping as vital assets in securing his victory, and he called her "simply invaluable."

FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES

On January 3, 1960, John F. Kennedy was a United States Senator from Massachusetts when he announced his candidacy for the presidency and launched his campaign nationwide.

On July 13, 1960 Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles, the party nominated John F. Kennedy for President of the United States.

Jacqueline did not attend the nomination due to her pregnancy.

Although Jacqueline stated that her priority as a First Lady was to take care of the President and their children, she also dedicated her time to the promotion of American arts and preservation of its history.

The restoration of the White House was her main contribution, but she also furthered the cause by hosting social events that brought together elite figures from politics and the arts.

DEATH AND LEGACY

In November 1993, Jacqueline was thrown from her horse that contributed to her deteriorating health over the next six months. She was then diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma in 1994 and died on May 19, 1994 in her New York City apartment.

Jacqueline Kennedy remains one of the most popular First Ladies. She was featured 27 times on the annual Gallup list of the top 10 most admired people of the second half of the 20th century.

In 2015, she was included in a list of the top ten influential U.S. First Ladies due to the admiration for her based around "her fashion sense and later after her husband's assassination, for her poise and dignity."

Kennedy is seen as being customary in her role as First Lady. A wide variety of commentators have credited Kennedy with restoring the White House.

Jacqueline Kennedy Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Jacqueline Kennedy across 20 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Jacqueline Kennedy worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Jacqueline Lee Kennedy who was the First Lady of the United States during the presidency of John F. Kennedy and was regarded then and afterward as an international icon of style and culture. Her second husband, Aristotle Onassis, was one of the wealthiest men in the world.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

Jacqueline Kennedy Facts

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Link will appear as Jacqueline Kennedy Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, January 31, 2020
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Jacqueline Kennedy Facts, Worksheets & Early Life For Kids

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Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version Download sample Jacqueline Lee Kennedy was the First Lady of the United States during the presidency of John F. Kennedy and was regarded then and afterward as an international icon of style and culture.

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Knowing Jackie Kennedy is also from Long Island makes me feel connected and even more interested in learning about her life.

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Video tour: Jackie Kennedy’s childhood summer home on Long Island hits the market

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Built in 1917, this was the 10-bedroom home of the future first lady’s paternal grandparents, John Vernou Bouvier Jr. and Maude Bouvier.

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John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum

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Growing Up

Jacqueline Lee Bouvier was born on July 28, 1929, in Southampton, New York. Her father, John, was a wealthy stockbroker on Wall Street whose family had come from France in the early 1800s. Her mother, Janet, had ancestors from Ireland and England.

Janet Bouvier was an accomplished rider, and Jackie was only a year old when her mother first put her on a horse. By age 11, she had already won several national championships. The New York Times wrote in 1940:

Jacqueline Bouvier, an eleven-year-old equestrienne from East Hampton, Long Island, scored a double victory in the horsemanship competition. Miss Bouvier achieved a rare distinction. The occasions are few when a young rider wins both contests in the same show.

Jackie also enjoyed reading. Before she started school, she had read all the children's books on her bookshelves. Her heroes were Mowgli from Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, Robin Hood, Little Lord Fauntleroy's grandfather, Scarlett O'Hara from Gone With the Wind, and the poet Byron. Mrs. Bouvier wondered if Jackie might one day be a writer.

Going to School

After kindergarten, Jackie started first grade at Miss Chapin's School on East End Avenue in New York. One of her teachers, Miss Platt, thought Jackie was "a darling child, the prettiest little girl, very clever, very artistic, and full of the devil." At times she did get into mischief and would be sent to the headmistress, Miss Ethel Stringfellow, who wrote on her report card: "Jacqueline was given a D in Form because her disturbing conduct in her geography class made it necessary to exclude her from the room."

When Jackie was ten years old, her parents divorced. It was a difficult period for her, especially because at the time few children had divorced parents. She also came from a Catholic family, and the Catholic Church disapproves of divorces. Jackie had always been a private person, but now she became still quieter, keeping her thoughts to herself.

Despite these hard times, Jackie had many advantages and opportunities in life. She took classical ballet lessons in the old Metropolitan Opera House. She began taking lessons in French. In 1942, when Jackie was about to turn thirteen, her mother married a businessman named Hugh Auchincloss who had children from previous marriages. Besides her younger sister, Lee, Jackie now had two stepbrothers, Yusha and Tommy, and a stepsister, Nina.

In June 1947, Jackie graduated from Miss Porter's School, a boarding school for girls in Connecticut. She continued her education at Vassar College in New York, where she studied history, literature, art, and French. Jackie spent her junior year studying abroad in Paris, France. She lived with the de Renty family at 76 Avenue Mozart. Madame de Renty had two daughters, Claude and Ghislaine, and one four-year-old son, Christian. Jackie later wrote about her experience:

I loved it more than any year of my life. Being away from home gave me a chance to look at myself with a jaundiced eye. I learned not to be ashamed of a real hunger for knowledge, something I had always tried to hide, and I came home glad to start in here again but with a love for Europe that I am afraid will never leave me.

She returned to the United States to finish up her last year of college, transferring from Vassar College to The George Washington University because she preferred being in the city and close to her family.

Jacqueline Bouvier: The Inquiring Photographer

Jacqueline started her first job in the fall of 1951 as the "Inquiring Camera Girl" for the Washington Times-Herald newspaper. Roving around the city, she took pictures of people she encountered, asked them questions on the issues of the day, and wove their answers into her newspaper column. Among those she interviewed for her column was Richard M. Nixon. She also covered the first inauguration of Dwight D. Eisenhower and the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

During this time, Jacqueline met John F. Kennedy, who was a congressman and soon to be elected senator from Massachusetts. On September 12, 1953, they married at St. Mary's Church in Newport, Rhode Island. After their honeymoon in Mexico, the Kennedys returned to Washington DC. Early on in their marriage, Senator Kennedy suffered crippling pain in his back from football and wartime injuries and had two operations. While recovering from surgery, Mrs. Kennedy encouraged him to write a book about several US senators who had risked their careers to fight for the things they believed in. The book, called Profiles in Courage, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for biography in 1957. That same year, the Kennedys' first child, Caroline, was born.

In January 1960, Senator John F. Kennedy announced his candidacy for the presidency of the United States. He began traveling all around the country and Jacqueline often accompanied him. During the campaign, she learned that she was pregnant and her doctors instructed her to remain at home. From there, she answered hundreds of campaign letters, taped TV commercials, gave interviews, and wrote a weekly newspaper column, "Campaign Wife," which was distributed across the country. On November 8, 1960, John F. Kennedy beat Republican Richard M. Nixon in a very close race. Two and-a-half weeks later, Mrs. Kennedy gave birth to their second child, John Fitzgerald Kennedy Jr.

Jacqueline Kennedy: First Lady of the United States

On January 20, 1961, John Fitzgerald Kennedy took the oath of office to become the nation's 35th president. At age 31, Jacqueline Kennedy was the first lady. With her gracious personal style and her passion for history and the arts, she worked hard to be worthy of her new role. While she had a deep sense of obligation to her country, her first priorities were to be a good wife to her husband and mother to her children. She told a reporter that "if you bungle raising your children, I don't think whatever else you do well matters very much."

Restoring the White House

Mrs. Kennedy soon set about making the White House into a real home for her family. She turned the sun porch on the third floor into a kindergarten school for Caroline and 12 to 15 other children, who came every morning at 9:30. There was also a swimming pool, a swing set, and a tree house on the White House lawn for Caroline and John Jr.

Mrs. Kennedy also thought about what the White House represented to its many visitors and to citizens everywhere. She wanted people to have a greater appreciation of the history of America's most famous residence and its past inhabitants. Her first major project as first lady was to restore and preserve the White House. She enlisted the aid of many experts, established a White House Fine Arts Committee, and created the post of White House curator. Gathering outstanding examples of American art and furniture from around the United States (including many items that had belonged to former presidents and their families), she restored all the public rooms in the White House. CBS Television asked Mrs. Kennedy to present a televised tour of the newly restored White House. Eighty million Americans watched the broadcast, and it earned Jacqueline Kennedy an honorary Emmy Award.

Promoting the Arts

The Kennedys brought a new, youthful spirit to the White House, which they believed should be a place to celebrate American history, culture, and achievement. As first lady, Jacqueline Kennedy planned important dinners and events at the White House and invited artists, writers, scientists, poets, and musicians to mingle with politicians, diplomats, and statesmen. After a visit to the White House, the world-renowned violinist Isaac Stern wrote to Mrs. Kennedy to thank her. "It would be difficult to tell you," he wrote, "how refreshing, how heartening it is to find such serious attention and respect for the arts in the White House. To many of us it is one of the most exciting developments on the present American cultural scene." Mrs. Kennedy also influenced the world of fashion. Her unique and refined sense of style made her a trendsetter, although she discouraged the excessive focus on her appearance by magazines, newspapers, and the general public.

Ambassador of Good Will

Mrs. Kennedy also traveled with her husband, representing the United States abroad. Clark Clifford, a respected lawyer and advisor to President Kennedy, was so pleased with Mrs. Kennedy after her trip to Paris, Vienna, and Greece that he sent her a note of appreciation, "Once in a great while, an individual will capture the imagination of people all over the world. You have done this; and what is more important, through your graciousness and tact, you have transformed this rare accomplishment into an incredibly important asset to this nation."

As first lady, Mrs. Kennedy also traveled to Italy, India, and Pakistan. Her interest in other cultures and her ability to speak several foreign languages, including French, Spanish, and Italian, brought her good will and admiration around the world.

A Time of Loss

On August 7, 1963, Mrs. Kennedy gave birth to their third child, Patrick Bouvier Kennedy. He suffered from a serious lung ailment and was rushed to the Children's Hospital in Boston, where he died two days later. While still recovering from this loss, another terrible tragedy befell her. On November 22, 1963, President and Mrs. Kennedy were in Dallas, Texas. As their car drove slowly past cheering crowds, shots rang out. President Kennedy was killed and Jacqueline Kennedy became a widow at age 34. She planned the president's state funeral. As it was broadcast around the world, millions of people shared her grief and admired her courage and dignity.

Soon after President Kennedy's death, Mrs. Kennedy began the work of creating the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum as a memorial to her husband. She chose the architect I.M. Pei to design the building, which now stands as a landmark overlooking Boston Harbor.

In 1968, Jacqueline Kennedy married a Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis. When Mr. Onassis died in 1975, she became a widow a second time. Now that her children were older, Jacqueline decided to begin a new career. She accepted a job as an editor at Viking Press in New York City and later moved to Doubleday as a senior editor. She enjoyed a successful career in publishing until her death on May 19, 1994. Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis was laid to rest beside President Kennedy in Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington, DC.

The Legacy of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy

Throughout her life, Jacqueline Kennedy sought to preserve and protect America's cultural heritage. The results of her work are still visible in Lafayette Square, across from the White House in Washington, DC. While she was first lady, she helped to stop the destruction of historic buildings along the square, including the Renwick Building, now part of the Smithsonian Institution. In New York City, she led a campaign to save and renovate Grand Central Station. Today, more than 500,000 people pass through each day and enjoy its restored beauty, thanks to her efforts.

Jacqueline Kennedy captivated the nation and the rest of the world with her intelligence, beauty, and grace. With a deep sense of devotion to her family and country, she dedicated herself to raising her children and to making the world a better place through art, literature, and a respect for history and public service.

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Growing Up Jacqueline Lee Bouvier was born on July 28, 1929, in Southampton, New York. Her father, John, was a wealthy stockbroker on Wall Street whose family had come from France in the early 1800s. Her mother, Janet, had ancestors from Ireland and England.

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In 1965, First Lady Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson renamed the garden on the east side of The White House to honor the wife of the 35th President.

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Jacqueline Kennedy Garden (2023)
NPS / Kelsey Graczyk

Located south of the East Terrace Colonnade, the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden was designed Rachel Lambert Mellon, who also redesigned the Rose Garden for President John F. Kennedy. The planning of the garden started during the Kennedy administration and was finished during the Lyndon B. Johnson administration. The pergola at the west end of the garden was designed by famed architect I. M. Pei. When the garden was formally dedicated in 1965, First Lady Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson named the garden to commemorate former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy.

The current garden has French design elements. Sometimes referred to as the East Garden or First Lady's Garden, a garden has been in this location since 1903 when First Lady Edith Roosevelt created a colonial-style garden here. President Woodrow Wilson's first wife First Lady Ellen Wilson started planning a new garden in the Italian Tuscan style with landscape architect Beatrix Farrand in 1914. The garden design was implemented by President Wilson's second wife First Lady Edith Wilson in 1916.

Historically this garden serves as a location for outdoor receptions. From 1994 until 2000, First Lady Hillary Clinton staged eight outdoor sculpture exhibitions of American sculpture from around the country.

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Jacqueline Kennedy Garden - The White House and President's Park (U.S. National Park Service)

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Located south of the East Terrace Colonnade, the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden was designed Rachel Lambert Mellon, who also redesigned the Rose Garden for President John F. Kennedy. The planning of the garden started during the Kennedy administration and was finished during the Lyndon B. Johnson administration.

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Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis HS in Manhattan, NY

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Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis HS in Manhattan, NY

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Art is a hidden power that isn't often spoken about. With portraits as big as us, we came together as a community with many different emotions and contributed to the Inside Out Project. We were filled with excitement, laughter, some nervousness, and portrayed our home with different individualities to the outside world. Within everyone's differences we learn that we are not so different after all. We learn that it's okay to ask for help and to lean on each other. We realize that JKO High School is as strong as the glue that we use to put the portraits up and that we will remain standing when life throws us challenges.

- Ashley

Students pasting their posters in front of their school.

We participated in the Inside Out Project because we wanted to reach out to our school to show that we like to be united, include, and represent everyone in our school community. We hoped that by sending our message through participating in the Inside Out Project we could make everyone feel proud of who they are representing in our school. This action allowed us to express our feelings through photos. It created a new way of communicating. Being able to work together in pasting the photos up, watching others, and interviewing each other was a very fun experience.

- Cristal

Participants interviewing each other during the Photobooth Activation.

We wanted to share our message to the world about what our school represents to us. It is a place for us to be ourselves and feel free to express ourselves in any way we can; by the way we dress, act, or speak. By capturing this picture of us expressing ourselves, people can see us as happy students around our school. I was excited to help and see what every one of my fellow classmates did with their photos. I think that they came out great and I'm thrilled that our pictures are still up on our school to this day even with the weather changes. We hope people see that our school is united, diverse, fun, full of many great people, and most importantly that we create what our school is and means to us.

- Keiara

Students reacting to their larger-than-life-sized portraits.

We participated in this project to share a message with the world through faces. ... We hope that people who see our portraits see that we are all human, beautiful human beings. Overall, this was a pleasant experience to say the least.

- Prem

Students document participants' reactions to their portraits.
"It felt amazing! Everyone kept busy with different roles that all contributed to one goal."
"Our school is a collective. It took a lot of hands to make this such an incredible day."
Our Team created a student survey to gather reflections and feedback directly from students. We gathered 74 responses from students at Jackie Kennedy who shared their experiences after participating in the project and how it made them feel.

When reflecting on their Action, students said that they felt like they were "part of a community," "hit a milestone," and that they were "contributing to a project with a powerful message behind it."

Student practicing her pose for her portrait!

Students at Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis High School dove straight into their Action, pasting portraits on an outer wall and an inner courtyard. They used squeegees and made glue, helping out at the Photobooth truck from start to end. All students involved participated in some way: from making glue, pasting portraits, interviewing each other, completing our survey, and even creating TikTok videos!

Click here to see all the portraits from this Action. Scroll down to see more highlights!

Students socializing outside of their freshly-pasted school.

Students posing next to their pasted portraits.

All hands on deck to finish the pasting!

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Back2School at Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis High School

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We help communities turn their untold stories into a work of public art!

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Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis HS in Manhattan, NY

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Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis HS in Manhattan, NY

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Jackie was an advocate for buildings with historical meaning, starting with the restoration of The White House when she was First Lady.

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To many Americans, she was the graceful Queen of Camelot, whose handsome King reigned for only a thousand days. To others, she was the perfect presidential spouse, a personification of what a First Lady should be: well dressed, willing, and accessible. But where Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy is concerned, myth often obscures reality.

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Jacqueline Lee Bouvier "Jackie" Kennedy Onassis (July 28, 1929 - May 19, 1994), was the wife of President John F. Kennedy and First Lady of the United States from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. She subsequently married Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis. In later years, she enjoyed a successful career as a book editor.

Jacqueline Lee Bouvier was born in Southampton, Long Island, New York, the daughter of wealthy Wall Street stockbroker John Vernou Bouvier III (1891-1957) and his wife Janet Norton Lee (1907-1989). She had a younger sister, Caroline Lee Bouvier, born in 1933, later known as Lee Radziwill. She was of Irish, French, Scottish, and English ancestry. Her maternal great-grandfather emigrated from Cork, Ireland, and later became the Superintendent of the New York City Public Schools.

Her early years were spent in New York City and East Hampton, Long Island, at the Bouvier family estate called "Lasata". She became at a very early age an accomplished equestrienne, a sport that would remain a lifelong passion. As a child, she also enjoyed drawing, reading and writing poems.

Her parents divorced in 1940, and her mother married Standard Oil heir Hugh D. Auchincloss in 1942, with whom she had two children: Janet (1945-1985) and James Auchincloss (b. 1947). She and her sister moved in with their mother's new family, and divided their time between their stepfather's two vast estates: "Merrywood" in McLean, Virginia, and "Hammersmith Farm" in Newport, Rhode Island.

She was educated at selective schools such as Chapin's, Miss Porter's and Vassar College. She spent one year (1949-50) in Paris, France, studying at La Sorbonne, before graduating from George Washington University in 1951, with a Bachelor of Arts in French literature. Other interests included art, history and languages.

After graduation, she worked as an "inquiring-photographer" for the Washington Times-Herald and was sent to London in June 1953 to cover the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

Marriage and family

Jacqueline Bouvier and then congressman John F. Kennedy belonged to the same social circle and were introduced by a mutual friend at a dinner party in May 1952. Kennedy was then busy running for the US Senate, but after his election in November, the relationship grew more serious and led to a proposal.

The wedding took place on September 12, 1953, at St Mary's Church, in Newport, Rhode Island, and was considered the social event of the season with an estimated 800 guests at the ceremony and 1000 at the lavish reception that followed at "Hammersmith Farm".

Behind all the glamour, however, the couple had to face several personal setbacks. John Kennedy had serious health problems unknown to the public. He suffered from Addison's disease and from chronic and debilitating back pain due to a war injury. During the fall and winter of 1954, he underwent two delicate spinal operations which almost killed him.

The couple became parents to a daughter Caroline (b. 1957) and a son John (1960-1999). A second son.

When John Kennedy became the 35th president of the United States, on January 20, 1961, Jacqueline Kennedy became, at age 31, one of the youngest First Ladies in American history. Young, attractive and cultivated, she quickly became extremely popular both at home and abroad and was often simply known as "Jackie" by the public.

After moving into the White House, she was dismayed at the state the official residence was in. She established a Fine Arts Committee to help her restore the house to its original splendor with American furniture, paintings and objets d'art of historical significance. She had a booklet on the history of the house published to help finance the restoration and hosted an immensely popular televised tour of the White House, on February 14, 1962, to show the progress of the work. She also redesigned the White House East Garden, which now bears her name, and through her intervention, historic buildings were saved from demolition in Lafayette Square.

On the international scene, she accompanied President Kennedy on state visits to Canada, Europe, Central and South America, where her knowledge of art and history and her skill at languages served her well. She made a very successful and highly publicized goodwill trip to India and Pakistan in March 1962, accompanied by her sister Lee Radziwill.

On November 22, 1963, while on a pre-electoral visit in Dallas, Texas, with President Kennedy, she was seated next to him in an open limousine driving through the city when he was shot in the head by a sniper. The courage and dignity she displayed in the aftermath of that tragedy won her international admiration.

After leaving the White House, Jacqueline Kennedy lived for a time in Georgetown, Washington, D.C., but moved to New York City with her children in late 1964. She attended occasional memorials for her late husband and helped supervise the plans for the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston. She made semi-official trips to England, Ireland and Cambodia.

On October 20, 1968, she married Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, 23 years her senior. After his death in 1975, she once more settled in New York City where she worked as a book editor for the last two decades of her life, first for Viking Press and later for Doubleday. She also took an active part in a campaign to preserve New York City's Grand Central Terminal.

Her last years were spent quietly mostly in the company of her family and longtime companion Maurice Templesman.

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis died of cancer (lymphoma) at her home in New York City, at the age of 64. She was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, next to President Kennedy, their stillborn daughter and infant son.

Images for kids

Kennedy with Charles Collingwood of CBS News during their televised tour of the restored White House in 1962

Kennedy, still wearing her blood-stained pink Chanel suit, stands alongside Lyndon B. Johnson as he takes the presidential oath of office administered by Sarah Hughes aboard Air Force One

In Spanish: Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis para niños

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Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Facts for Kids

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Learn Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis facts for kids

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Jackie was a poised and inclusive woman. Oftentimes when she traveled to other countries with her husband, she impressed the world by speaking in that country's native language, showing her respect for not only her country but others around the world.

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Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was the first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963. Her husband, John F. Kennedy, was the 35th president. She was one of the most popular first ladies.

Jacqueline Lee Bouvier was born on July 28, 1929, in Southampton, New York. As a child she enjoyed horseback riding, writing, and painting. She attended Vassar College and spent her junior year at the Sorbonne in Paris. Jacqueline graduated from George Washington University in 1951. She then became a reporter-photographer at the Washington Times-Herald.

Jacqueline met John Kennedy in 1951, when he was a congressman from Massachusetts. They were married on September 12, 1953. The first few years of their marriage were difficult. John had spinal surgery, and Jacqueline suffered through two unsuccessful pregnancies. The birth of two healthy children (in 1957 and 1960) and the election of John to president in 1960 brought happier times.

Jacqueline was the youngest first lady in more than 80 years. Her mission as first lady was to restore the White House to its original elegance and to protect the items inside it. She created the White House Historical Association. She also encouraged Congress to pass the law that made the White House's furnishings property of the country.

In November 1963 Jacqueline accompanied John to Texas. As they rode through Dallas in a convertible, John was assassinated as Jacqueline sat next to him. She oversaw the planning of the funeral, using details of Abraham Lincoln 's funeral. Jacqueline was admired for her quiet dignity through the tragic time.

Jacqueline spent much of the rest of her life in New York City. She married the Greek businessman Aristotle Onassis in 1968. After his death in 1975, she worked as a book editor. She died in New York City on May 19, 1994.

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Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was the first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963. Her husband, John F. Kennedy, was the 35th president. She was one of the most popular...

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Legacy Lecture: Jackie and the Books She Loved, Penning a Picture Book