John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s Biography

John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917, in Brookline, Massachusetts. He had 5 sisters, 2 brothers, and his parents were named Rose and Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. JFK had a very interesting childhood. In the first six months after his birth, he was in and out of the hospital many times due to various illnesses such as whooping cough, measles, and chickenpox. Before he was even three years old he contracted scarlet fever, a life-threatening disease. When he was three, the Kennedy family moved from Brookline to be closer to Boston, Massachusetts.

As John grew up, he experienced fewer illnesses. He attended Choate Boarding School where he made many friends and developed a fondness for sports, participating in basketball, football, tennis, and golf at high school. The spirit of competition was evident between him and his two brothers. After graduating, John attended Harvard University, the same institution his brother Joe had attended. During a football game at Harvard, John suffered a disc rupture in his spine which had lingering effects throughout his life. Shortly after graduating, World War II began and both John and Joe volunteered. John joined the Navy and his brother Joe trained as a pilot. ( JFK library.org)

According to JFK Library, while serving in the military, John was a lieutenant assigned to command a patrol torpedo boat in the South Pacific. His job was to seek out and destroy Japanese warships. During one mission, in which John commanded twelve men, a Japanese destroyer headed straight towards them at high speed. Despite his best efforts to swerve out of the way, their boats collided, splitting John's boat in half, causing a fire, and taking the lives of two of his crew. The impact threw John around the cockpit, causing further injury to his already damaged back. After abandoning the sinking ship, John, clutching their life vests in his teeth, pulled some of the survivors to shore. Having carved an SOS message, they were found by two island natives and later rescued by a patrol boat. Tragically, a year later, John's brother Joe was killed during a mission over Europe. As recognition of his courage and resilience, John was awarded several Navy and Marine Corps medals after returning home. Undecided about his future after the war, John ultimately decided to pursue a political career in honor of his late brother.

According to millercenter.org, once Kennedy started his political career, he decided to run for Congress in Massachusetts. John won congress in Massachusetts in 1946, marking the start of his political career. A committed Democrat, John served three terms (six years) in the House of Representatives. In 1952, he was elected to the U.S. Senate. Shortly after his election as a senator, John married a twenty-four-year-old woman named Jacqueline Bouvier at the age of thirty-six. Early into their marriage, John experienced increasing back pain and subsequently underwent two serious back surgeries. While recovering, he wrote a book called "Profiles of Courage." Kennedy was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for this biography in 1957, the same year his first daughter, Caroline, was born. John's popularity in politics began to grow exponentially. In 1956, he came close to being chosen to run as vice-president. Additionally, he started to dedicate long hours to his work and spent his weekends traveling around the United States. On July 13, 1960, John was nominated by the Democratic party. Kennedy requested Lyndon B. Johnson, a senator from Texas, to be his vice president. On November 8, 1960, in the general election, John defeated his Republican opponent, Richard M. Nixon, in a very close race. At 43, Kennedy was the youngest man ever elected president. He was also the first Catholic president. Also of note, Kennedy's second child, John Jr., was born before his inauguration.

On January 20, 1961, John F. Kennedy was sworn into the presidential office. In his inaugural speech, he urged all Americans to become active citizens and brought a youthful spirit to the White House with his wife and two children. The Kennedys believed the White House should be a place to celebrate the nation's history, culture, and achievements. Despite being a very busy man, Kennedy always made time for his children and family. He deeply worried about a potential nuclear war with the Soviet Union and the spread of communism. Kennedy's goal was to prevent another war, which led to the start of the Cold War. There were many instances, such as the Cuban missile crisis of 1962, when a large-scale nuclear war and enormous loss of life seemed possible. President Kennedy typically woke up at seven a.m. and didn't go to bed until eleven p.m. or midnight, working tirelessly to avert a nuclear apocalypse. Despite the Cold War, Kennedy was equally focused on domestic issues within the United States. He hoped to help more Americans find jobs, prompting him to found the Peace Corps, a still-existing organization offering jobs and aid in education, farming, health care, construction, and more. Eager to beat the Soviets in the space race, Kennedy received $22 billion from Congress for the space program. Kennedy also contributed significantly to the civil rights movement, passing numerous bills and initiatives, urging Americans to end racism, and declaring that all Americans, regardless of skin color, deserved to enjoy a peaceful life in the United States of America according to jfklibrary.org.

On November 21, 1963, President Kennedy flew down to Texas to give a number of political speeches. The following day, on November 22, 1963, John F. Kennedy was driving in his open-top motorcade in Dallas, Texas, and greeted the people on the streets. While driving, Lee Harvey Oswald shot from the sixth floor of the Texas Schoolbook Depository, killing President John F. Kennedy. Lee Harvey Oswald was charged with his murder, but on November 24, 1963, he himself was murdered by Jack Ruby. (22november1963.org.uk)

John F. Kennedy was an influential president who led a remarkable life. Many mourned his death; many attended his funeral and millions watched it on their televisions. Though JFK's time in the oval office was brief, his impact was substantial and he will always be remembered for his leadership, memories, and accomplishments. He was an optimist by nature, aiming to bring a positive change to America. He believed that it was possible for people to solve common problems by prioritizing the country's interest first, by working together, and by helping their country. (jfklibrary.org)

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