Jacqueline “Jackie” Lee Kennedy Onassis, the former First Lady of the United States, captivated the nation with her devotion to family and efforts to preserve history. Renowned for her fashion sense, she also served as a cultural ambassador, earning global admiration.
Early Life
Jacqueline Lee Bouvier was born on July 28, 1929, at Southampton Hospital in Southampton, New York. Her parents were John Vernou “Black Jack” Bouvier III, a stockbroker, and Janet Norton Lee, a socialite of Irish descent. Baptized in Manhattan, she grew up in a Roman Catholic household. Four years later, her sister Caroline Lee was born. Jacqueline spent her early years between Manhattan and the family’s East Hampton estate, Lasata. She admired her father, who favored her over her sister, shaping her confidence and independence. Jacqueline’s childhood pursuits included horse riding, ballet, reading, and a passion for learning languages, especially French.
Equestrian Dreams and Artistic Pursuits
Janet Lee and stock speculator John (“Black Jack”) Bouvier III named their two daughters Jacqueline, with the elder daughter being given the name. She discovered the pastimes she would still enjoy as an adult: painting, writing, and horseback riding. Moreover, Jacqueline split her time between the family’s Merrywood estate in Virginia and Hammersmith Farm in Newport, Rhode Island 1942. She followed her parents’ divorce and her mother’s marriage to a rich lawyer named Hugh D. Auchincloss, Jr.
Jacqueline Bouvier spent her early years in Manhattan and at Lasata, the family’s country estate in East Hampton, Long Island. She looked up to her father, who preferred her over her sister and called her “the most beautiful daughter a man ever had.”
Biographer Tina Santi Flaherty notes Jacqueline’s early self-confidence, seeing a connection to her father’s praise and positive attitude toward her and her sister. Also, Jacqueline has had a lifetime of enthusiasm for riding horses. She was an avid equestrienne and competitive horseback rider from a young age.
She studied dance, loved to read, and was particularly good at acquiring other languages, including French, Spanish, and Italian. Her upbringing placed a strong emphasis on the language of French.
The Challenges Faced by the Bouvier Family
Jacqueline Kennedy worked tirelessly to save and preserve America’s cultural legacy. She helped prevent the demolition of historic structures in the plaza, notably the Renwick Building, which is now a part of the Smithsonian Institution, while she was first lady, and the consequences of her efforts can still be seen at Lafayette Plaza, across from the White House in Washington, DC. She spearheaded an effort to save and renovate Grand Central Station in New York City. Due to her efforts, more than 500,000 visitors take in its restored beauty daily.
Furthermore, she mesmerized the country and the world with her knowledge, beauty, and elegance. Out of a profound loyalty to her family and nation, she committed herself to raising her children and improving the world through art, literature, a love for history, and public duty.
Jackie Kennedy and John’s Journey to Marriage
Jackie and the U.S. Representative John F. Kennedy and writer Charles L. Bartlett were friends in the same social group and were formally introduced by him at a dinner gathering in May 1952. She was drawn to Kennedy because of his good looks, humor, and riches. The two were Catholic, enjoyed writing and reading, and had previously lived overseas. Kennedy spent his time campaigning for the U.S. After she won the November election for the Massachusetts Senate seat, their connection intensified, and he proposed to her.
She spent a month traveling over Europe before returning home to accept Kennedy’s marriage proposal. After that, she announced her resignation from the publication. On June 25, 1953, they formally announced their engagement. He was 36 while she was 24.
On September 12, 1953, at St. Mary’s Church in Newport, Rhode Island, Archbishop Richard Cushing of Boston officiated the liturgy that united Bouvier and Kennedy in marriage. The wedding, attended by approximately 700 people at the ceremony and 1,200 at the Hammersmith Farm reception, stood out as the season’s grandest social event. The Kennedy Library in Boston, Massachusetts, holds the wedding dress that New York City’s Ann Lowe created. Lowe, whom Jacqueline Kennedy neglected to give credit to, also designed the outfits her staff wore.
Shaping the First Lady’s Legacy Through Preservation
On January 2, 1960, John F. Kennedy, a senator from Massachusetts, declared his intention to run for president and began his statewide campaign. Jacqueline Kennedy traveled with her husband to campaign rallies and meals in the early months of the election year. She found out she was pregnant not long after the campaign started. She chose to remain at home in Georgetown because of her prior high-risk pregnancies.
Her efforts to conserve the White House’s assets and return them to their former splendor remain her greatest enduring accomplishment. She founded the White House Historical Association, whose duties included public education and fund-raising, and she penned the introduction to the group’s debut publication, The White House: An Historic Guide (1962).
Jacqueline engaged a curator from the Smithsonian Institution to categorize the mansion’s possessions; the position subsequently became permanent. Congress, with the assistance of the First Lady, declared the White House furnishings of “artistic or historic importance” to be the “inalienable property” of the country.
This action prevents occupants from disposing of them at will. Congress, with the assistance of the First Lady, declared the White House furnishings of “artistic or historic importance” to be the “inalienable property” of the country.
Jackie Kennedy As a Visionary in Cultural Conservation
Jacqueline Kennedy worked tirelessly to save and preserve America’s cultural legacy. As the first lady, she played a key role in preventing the demolition of historical structures in the plaza, including the Renwick Building, which is now incorporated into the Smithsonian Institution.
The results of her efforts are evident at Lafayette Plaza, situated across from the White House in Washington, DC. She spearheaded an effort to save and renovate Grand Central Station in New York City. Due to her efforts, more than 500,000 visitors take in its restored beauty daily.
Furthermore, Jackie Kennedy mesmerized the country and the world with her knowledge, beauty, and elegance. She committed herself to raising her children and improving the world via art, literature, a love for history, and public duty out of a profound loyalty to her family and nation.
