After six years at Chapin, Bouvier 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. She chose Miss Porter's because it was a boarding school that allowed her to distance herself from the Auchinclosses, and because the school placed an emphasis on college preparatory classes. In her senior class yearbook, Bouvier was acknowledged for "her wit, her accomplishment as a horsewoman, and her unwillingness to become a housewife". She graduated among the top students of her class and received the Maria McKinney Memorial Award for Excellence in Literature.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
In the fall of 1947, Bouvier entered Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, which at that time was an all-women's institution. She had wanted to attend Sarah Lawrence College, closer to New York City, but her parents insisted that she choose the more geographically isolated Vassar. Bouvier was an accomplished student who participated in the school's art and drama clubs and wrote for its newspaper. Due to her dislike for the college, she did not take an active part in its social life and instead traveled back to Manhattan on the weekends. She had made her debut to high society in the summer before entering college and became a frequent presence in New York social functions. Hearst columnist Igor Cassini dubbed her the "debutante of the year". Bouvier 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. Upon returning home, she transferred to George Washington University in Washington, D.C., graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in French literature in 1951. During the early years of her marriage to John F. Kennedy, she took continuing education classes in American history at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
After six years at Chapin, Bouvier 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. She chose Miss Porter's because it was a boarding school that allowed her to distance herself from the Auchinclosses, and because the school placed an emphasis on college preparatory classes. In her senior class yearbook, Bouvier was acknowledged for "her wit, her accomplishment as a horsewoman, and her unwillingness to become a housewife". She graduated among the top students of her class and received the Maria McKinney Memorial Award for Excellence in Literature.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
In the fall of 1947, Bouvier entered Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, which at that time was an all-women's institution. She had wanted to attend Sarah Lawrence College, closer to New York City, but her parents insisted that she choose the more geographically isolated Vassar. Bouvier was an accomplished student who participated in the school's art and drama clubs and wrote for its newspaper. Due to her dislike for the college, she did not take an active part in its social life and instead traveled back to Manhattan on the weekends. She had made her debut to high society in the summer before entering college and became a frequent presence in New York social functions. Hearst columnist Igor Cassini dubbed her the "debutante of the year". Bouvier 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. Upon returning home, she transferred to George Washington University in Washington, D.C., graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in French literature in 1951. During the early years of her marriage to John F. Kennedy, she took continuing education classes in American history at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
In the fall of 1947, Bouvier entered Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, which at that time was an all-women's institution. She had wanted to attend Sarah Lawrence College, closer to New York City, but her parents insisted that she choose the more geographically isolated Vassar. Bouvier was an accomplished student who participated in the school's art and drama clubs and wrote for its newspaper. Due to her dislike for the college, she did not take an active part in its social life and instead traveled back to Manhattan on the weekends. She had made her debut to high society in the summer before entering college and became a frequent presence in New York social functions. Hearst columnist Igor Cassini dubbed her the "debutante of the year". Bouvier 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. Upon returning home, she transferred to George Washington University in Washington, D.C., graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in French literature in 1951. During the early years of her marriage to John F. Kennedy, she took continuing education classes in American history at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C
Career
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1951
Europe
Jaqueline and her sister Lee are photographed after returning from studying in Europe.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1953
Newport, Rhode Island, USA
John and Jackie Kennedy at their wedding in Newport, Rhode Island.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1953
Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, USA
Jackie and her fiancée, John F. Kennedy, play tennis at his family's home in Hyannis Port, MA.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1955
USA
Jackie poses with her sister, Lee.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1956
USA
Five Kennedy women—Jackie, Patricia Lawford, Ethel Kennedy, Eunice Shriver, and Jean Kennedy—attend a party.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1958
USA
Jack and Jackie relax at home with their first child, Caroline.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1959
New York City, USA
Jackie Kennedy at the April in Paris ball in New York City.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1960
Georgetown, USA
Jackie Kennedy with newborn son, John F. Kennedy Jr. at his christening in Georgetown.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1960
Jackie on the campaign trail for her husband Jack's presidential run.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1960
USA
Jackie, dressed for summer in a gingham print dress and pearls, relaxes with husband JFK and daughter Caroline.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1960
Massachusetts, USA
Jackie and her husband wave to crowds in Massachusetts during the beginning of his presidential campaign.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1961
During her time as American First Lady, Jackie Kennedy and her signature skirt suits by designer Oleg Cassini became iconic.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1961
Westminster, London SW1A 1AA, United Kingdom
Jackie departs Buckingham Palace while on a private visit to London for her niece, Anna Christina Radziwill's christening.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1961
Epidavrou, Tripolis 210 52, Greece
Jackie tours the Theater of Epidaurus on a visit to Greece.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1961
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500, United States
The First Family arriving at the White House.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1961
Westminster, London SW1A 1AA, United Kingdom
Jackie Kennedy and Queen Elizabeth pose for photos during an American state visit to Buckingham Palace. The event was the first time an American president dined at the Palace since 1918 and was even depicted on Season 2 of The Crown.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1961
Latin America
Jackie and JFK on Air Force One as they arrive in Latin America.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1961
USA
Jackie Kennedy wears her signature pillbox hat while attending an event as First Lady.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1961
USA
Jacqueline Kennedy stands along side her husband at his inauguration.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1962
USA
Jackie arrives to a U.S. State Department fashion show dressed in a classic cream tweed skirt suit, pearls, white gloves, and pillbox cap.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1962
Glen ora, Middleburg, Virginia,USA
Jackie and her children on horseback in Glen Ora, the Kennedy Estate in Middleburg, Virginia.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1962
USA
Jackie sits in a classroom while visiting daughter Caroline's school.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1962
Dharmapuri, Forest Colony, Tajganj, Agra, Uttar Pradesh 282001, India
Jackie Kennedy poses in front of the Taj Mahal on a visit to India.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1962
Newport, Rhode Island, USA
The First Lady watches the America's Cup Race in Newport, Rhode Island.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1962
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500, United States
Jackie stuns in a pale pink strapless gown as she and the President greet guests for an official dinner at the White House.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1962
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500, United States
John F. Kennedy Jr. is seen playing with his mother's pearls.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1962
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500, United States
Jacqueline Kennedy hosts NBC News at the White House to discuss the original plans of the Kennedy Center (formerly known as the National Cultural Center).
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1962
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500, United States
The Kennedys with Jackie's sister Lee and her husband, Prince Stanislas Radziwill, and their children at the White House.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1963
Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, United States
Jacqueline Kennedy holds the hands of her children, Caroline and JFK Jr., at the funeral of her husband, President Kennedy.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1963
2400 Aviation Dr, DFW Airport, TX 75261, United States
On the day President Kennedy was assassinated, Jackie arrived at the Dallas airport wearing a pink Chanel suit. Despite the bloodstains covering it, she wore it when Vice President Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as President.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1963
Palm Beach, USA
The First Family attend Mass in Palm Beach on Easter Sunday, shortly after announcing that Jackie was pregnant.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1964
Washington D.C., USA
Jackie Kennedy greets well-wishers in Washington D.C. following the assassination of her husband.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1965
Vatican
The former first lady attends a private audience with Pope Paul VI at the Vatican.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1965
Jacqueline and her daughter Caroline enjoy themselves on a family ski trip.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1965
London, England
Jackie and her sister Princess Lee Radziwill take their children and dogs for a walk, surrounded by security, in London.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1965
Surrey, England
Kennedy attends the dedication of a memorial to her late husband in Surrey, England.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1965
Jackie arrives with Ted Kennedy and his wife Joan to meet Pope Paul VI.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1966
Seville, Spain
Jackie Kennedy wears a white lace Mantillas while at a bullfight in Seville, Spain with the Duchess of Alba.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1967
30 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023, United States
Jackie stylishly dressed in a long-sleeve gown and gold bejeweled belt at the Metropolitan Opera in Lincoln Center.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1967
The Kennedys seen here horse-back riding while visiting Ireland during a summer holiday.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1968
For her wedding to Greek magnate Aristotle Onassis, Jackie opted for a knee length pleated and lace Valentino dress and a simple white hair bow.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1968
Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, United States
Jackie, her children, and the Radziwills visit the grave site of Robert F. Kennedy, her brother-in law, who was assassinated while running for President.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1969
Jackie Kennedy Onassis seen sporting her iconic Cartier 'Tank' watch while in the countryside.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1969
Neraida, 501 00, Greece
Jackie and her second husband Aristotle Onassis celebrate their first wedding anniversary at the Neraida nightclub in Greece.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1970
New York, NY, United States
Jackie Kennedy out with her second husband, Aristotle Onassis, in New York City.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1970
Central Park, New York, NY, United States
Onassis on a bike ride in New York's Central Park.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1970
Longford TW6, United Kingdom
Jackie O makes her way through London's Heathrow Airport in a stylish ensemble.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1970
60 West 55th Street, New York City, USA
Arriving for dinner with husband Aristotle at the restaurant La Cote Basque in New York City.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1972
Jackie Kennedy and her sister Lee at a party with Norman Mailer (far right).
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1973
France
Jackie and her children on vacation in the South of France.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1974
Nile River, Africa
Aristotle Onassis and Jackie relax on a boat while cruising down the Nile River.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1975
Skorpios Island, Greece
Jackie Onassis and her children Caroline and John F. Kennedy Jr. attend the funeral of her second husband, Aristotle Onassis.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1976
New York, New York, United States
Wearing her signature over-sized sunglasses and a striped shirt at the annual RFK Pro-Celebrity tennis tournament.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1976
Staten Island, USA
Photographed with the New York City skyline behind her as she sails through New York Harbor from Staten Island.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1977
New York, New York, United States
Jackie Kennedy Onassis in her office at Viking Press where she worked as an editor during her third act.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1979
5th Avenue, Manhattan, New York
Attending the Costume Institute Gala a the Met celebrating 'Fashions of the Hapsburg Era.'
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1980
Jackie Kennedy leaves a fundraiser for her brother-in-law Ted Kennedy's presidential campaign.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1986
Jackie and her companion for the last decade of her life, Maurice Templesman.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1986
Hyannis Port, Barnstable, Massachusetts, United States
Jacqueline Onassis with brother-in-law Ted Kennedy at her daughter Caroline's wedding in Hyannis Port.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1989
New York, USA
With her children Caroline and John F. Kennedy Jr.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1992
New York, USA
Jackie leaves a polling location after showing her support for the democratic candidate, Robert Abrams, in the 1992 New York state Senate race.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1993
Columbia Point, Boston, MA 02125, United States
Democratic President, Bill Clinton, chats with JFK Jr. and Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis at the opening of the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston.
Gallery of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1994
Central Park, New York City, New York, USA
Jackie and Templesman sit on a bench in Central Park only a few months before her death from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in May 1994.
Jackie Kennedy and Queen Elizabeth pose for photos during an American state visit to Buckingham Palace. The event was the first time an American president dined at the Palace since 1918 and was even depicted on Season 2 of The Crown.
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500, United States
Jacqueline Kennedy hosts NBC News at the White House to discuss the original plans of the Kennedy Center (formerly known as the National Cultural Center).
2400 Aviation Dr, DFW Airport, TX 75261, United States
On the day President Kennedy was assassinated, Jackie arrived at the Dallas airport wearing a pink Chanel suit. Despite the bloodstains covering it, she wore it when Vice President Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as President.
Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, United States
Jackie, her children, and the Radziwills visit the grave site of Robert F. Kennedy, her brother-in law, who was assassinated while running for President.
After six years at Chapin, Bouvier 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. She chose Miss Porter's because it was a boarding school that allowed her to distance herself from the Auchinclosses, and because the school placed an emphasis on college preparatory classes. In her senior class yearbook, Bouvier was acknowledged for "her wit, her accomplishment as a horsewoman, and her unwillingness to become a housewife". She graduated among the top students of her class and received the Maria McKinney Memorial Award for Excellence in Literature.
In the fall of 1947, Bouvier entered Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, which at that time was an all-women's institution. She had wanted to attend Sarah Lawrence College, closer to New York City, but her parents insisted that she choose the more geographically isolated Vassar. Bouvier was an accomplished student who participated in the school's art and drama clubs and wrote for its newspaper. Due to her dislike for the college, she did not take an active part in its social life and instead traveled back to Manhattan on the weekends. She had made her debut to high society in the summer before entering college and became a frequent presence in New York social functions. Hearst columnist Igor Cassini dubbed her the "debutante of the year". Bouvier 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. Upon returning home, she transferred to George Washington University in Washington, D.C., graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in French literature in 1951. During the early years of her marriage to John F. Kennedy, she took continuing education classes in American history at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C
After six years at Chapin, Bouvier 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. She chose Miss Porter's because it was a boarding school that allowed her to distance herself from the Auchinclosses, and because the school placed an emphasis on college preparatory classes. In her senior class yearbook, Bouvier was acknowledged for "her wit, her accomplishment as a horsewoman, and her unwillingness to become a housewife". She graduated among the top students of her class and received the Maria McKinney Memorial Award for Excellence in Literature.
In the fall of 1947, Bouvier entered Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, which at that time was an all-women's institution. She had wanted to attend Sarah Lawrence College, closer to New York City, but her parents insisted that she choose the more geographically isolated Vassar. Bouvier was an accomplished student who participated in the school's art and drama clubs and wrote for its newspaper. Due to her dislike for the college, she did not take an active part in its social life and instead traveled back to Manhattan on the weekends. She had made her debut to high society in the summer before entering college and became a frequent presence in New York social functions. Hearst columnist Igor Cassini dubbed her the "debutante of the year". Bouvier 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. Upon returning home, she transferred to George Washington University in Washington, D.C., graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in French literature in 1951. During the early years of her marriage to John F. Kennedy, she took continuing education classes in American history at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C
In the fall of 1947, Bouvier entered Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, which at that time was an all-women's institution. She had wanted to attend Sarah Lawrence College, closer to New York City, but her parents insisted that she choose the more geographically isolated Vassar. Bouvier was an accomplished student who participated in the school's art and drama clubs and wrote for its newspaper. Due to her dislike for the college, she did not take an active part in its social life and instead traveled back to Manhattan on the weekends. She had made her debut to high society in the summer before entering college and became a frequent presence in New York social functions. Hearst columnist Igor Cassini dubbed her the "debutante of the year". Bouvier 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. Upon returning home, she transferred to George Washington University in Washington, D.C., graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in French literature in 1951. During the early years of her marriage to John F. Kennedy, she took continuing education classes in American history at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C
(A catalog of possessions of the Russian imperial court da...)
A catalog of possessions of the Russian imperial court dating from 1700 to 1900. Emphasis on clothing and portraits. Illustrated with black and white photos and eight color plates.
A Tour of the White House with Mrs. John F. Kennedy
(Mrs. Kennedy provided a masterful, authoritative, knowled...)
Mrs. Kennedy provided a masterful, authoritative, knowledgeable tour of the various historical artifiacts furnishing 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, "the people's house", its interior design and her well-received renovation efforts of the White House, all the while amidst an aura of elegance by the First Lady hard not not to be captured by while viewing the tour.
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, née Jacqueline Lee Bouvier, was an American first lady (1961–63), who was the wife of John F. Kennedy, 35th president of the United States. She was noted for her style and elegance. Her second husband, Aristotle Onassis, was one of the wealthiest men in the world.
Background
Ethnicity:
Bouvier's mother was of Irish descent, and her father had French, Scottish, and English ancestry.
Jacqueline Lee Bouvier was born on July 28, 1929, at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital in Southampton, New York, to Wall Street stockbroker John Vernou "Black Jack" Bouvier III and socialite Janet Norton Lee. Her sister Lee was born four years later in 1933.
Bouvier spent her early childhood years in Manhattan and at Lasata, the Bouviers' country estate in East Hampton on Long Island. She idolized her father, who likewise favored her over her sister, calling his elder child "the most beautiful daughter a man ever had".
The marriage of Bouvier's parents was strained by her father's alcoholism and extramarital affairs; the family had also struggled with financial difficulties following the Wall Street Crash of 1929. They separated in 1936 and divorced four years later, with the press publishing intimate details of the split. According to her cousin John H. Davis, Bouvier was deeply affected by the divorce and subsequently had a "tendency to withdraw frequently into a private world of her own". When her mother married Standard Oil heir Hugh Dudley Auchincloss, Jr., Bouvier and her sister did not attend the ceremony, because it was arranged quickly and travel was restricted due to World War II. Bouvier gained three step-siblings from Auchincloss' two previous marriages, Hugh "Yusha" Auchincloss III, Thomas Gore Auchincloss, and Nina Gore Auchincloss; she formed the closest bond with Yusha, who became one of her most trusted confidants. The marriage later produced two more children, Janet Jennings Auchincloss in 1945 and James Lee Auchincloss in 1947.
After the remarriage, Auchincloss' Merrywood estate in McLean, Virginia, became the Bouvier sisters' primary residence, although they also spent time at his other estate, Hammersmith Farm in Newport, Rhode Island, and in their father's homes in New York City and Long Island. Although she retained a relationship with her father, Bouvier also regarded her stepfather as a close paternal figure. He gave her a stable environment and the pampered childhood she never would have experienced otherwise. While Bouvier adjusted to her mother's remarriage, she sometimes felt like an outsider in the WASP social circle of the Auchinclosses, attributing the feeling to her being Catholic as well as being a child of divorce, which was not common in that social group at that time.
Education
From an early age, Bouvier was an enthusiastic equestrienne who successfully competed in the sport; horse-riding would remain a lifelong passion. She also took ballet lessons, was an avid reader, and excelled at learning languages. Bouvier could speak English, Spanish, Italian, and French. French was particularly emphasized in her upbringing.
In 1935, Bouvier was enrolled in Manhattan's Chapin School, which she attended for Grades 1–6. She was a bright student but often misbehaved; one of her teachers described her as "a darling child, the prettiest little girl, very clever, very artistic, and full of the devil". Bouvier's mother attributed her daughter's behavior to the way that she finished her assignments ahead of classmates and then acted out in boredom. Her behavior improved after the headmistress warned her that none of her positive qualities would matter if she did not behave.
After six years at Chapin, Bouvier 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. She chose Miss Porter's because it was a boarding school that allowed her to distance herself from the Auchinclosses, and because the school placed an emphasis on college preparatory classes. In her senior class yearbook, Bouvier was acknowledged for "her wit, her accomplishment as a horsewoman, and her unwillingness to become a housewife". She graduated among the top students of her class and received the Maria McKinney Memorial Award for Excellence in Literature.
In the fall of 1947, Bouvier entered Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, which at that time was an all-women's institution. She had wanted to attend Sarah Lawrence College, closer to New York City, but her parents insisted that she choose the more geographically isolated Vassar. Bouvier was an accomplished student who participated in the school's art and drama clubs and wrote for its newspaper. Due to her dislike for the college, she did not take an active part in its social life and instead traveled back to Manhattan on the weekends. She had made her debut to high society in the summer before entering college and became a frequent presence in New York social functions. Hearst columnist Igor Cassini dubbed her the "debutante of the year". Bouvier 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. Upon returning home, she transferred to George Washington University in Washington, D.C., graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in French literature in 1951. During the early years of her marriage to John F. Kennedy, she took continuing education classes in American history at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C
After graduation Jacqueline took a job as a reporter-photographer at the Washington Times-Herald. She notably covered the coronation (1952) of Elizabeth II. In 1951 Jacqueline met John F. Kennedy, a popular congressman from Massachusetts, and two years later, after he became a U.S. senator, he proposed marriage. In 1960, John announced that he was running for president, and Jacqueline initially traveled with her husband. However, after becoming pregnant again, she stayed at home on the advice of her doctors but continued to be involved in the campaign. She notably wrote “Campaign Wife,” a weekly news column. On November 8, 1960, John was narrowly elected president, and weeks later Jacqueline gave birth to a son, John F. Kennedy, Jr.
The youngest first lady in nearly 80 years, Jacqueline left a distinct mark on the job. During the 1960 election campaign, she hired Letitia Baldrige, who was both politically savvy and astute on matters of etiquette, to assist her as social secretary. Through Baldrige, Jacqueline announced that she intended to make the White House a showcase for America’s most talented and accomplished individuals, and she invited musicians, actors, and intellectuals - including Nobel Prize winners - to the executive mansion.
Her most-enduring contribution was her work to restore the White House to its original elegance and to protect its holdings. She established the White House Historical Association, which was charged with educating the public and raising funds, and she wrote the foreword to the association’s first edition of The White House: An Historic Guide (1962). To catalog the mansion’s holdings, Jacqueline hired a curator from the Smithsonian Institution, a job that eventually became permanent. Congress, acting with the first lady’s support, passed a law to encourage donations of valuable art and furniture and made White House furnishings of “artistic or historic importance” the “inalienable property” of the nation, so that residents could not dispose of them at will. After extensive refurbishing, Jacqueline led a nationally televised tour of the White House in February 1962.
During her short time in the White House, Jacqueline became one of the most popular first ladies. During her travels with the president to Europe (1961) and to Central and South America (1962), she won wide praise for her beauty, fashion sense, and facility with languages. Alluding to his wife’s immense popularity during their tour of France in 1961, President Kennedy jokingly reintroduced himself to reporters as the “the man who accompanied Jacqueline Kennedy to Paris.” Parents named their daughters after Jacqueline, and women copied her bouffant hairstyle, pillbox hat, and flat-heeled pumps.
In November 1963 Jacqueline agreed to make one of her infrequent political appearances and accompanied her husband to Texas. (She had just returned from a vacation in Greece following the death of her newborn son, Patrick Bouvier.) As the president’s motorcade moved through Dallas, he was assassinated as she sat beside him; 99 minutes later she stood beside Lyndon Johnson in her blood-stained suit as he took the oath of office, an unprecedented appearance by a widowed first lady. On her return to the capital, Jacqueline oversaw the planning of her husband’s funeral, using many of the details of Abraham Lincoln’s funeral a century earlier. Her quiet dignity (and the sight of her two young children standing beside her during the ceremony) brought an outpouring of admiration from Americans and from all over the world.
Jacqueline moved to an apartment in New York City, which remained her principal residence for the rest of her life. During this time, she became a frequent target of paparazzi and the tabloids, and this unwanted attention continued until her death. In October 1968 she wed the Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, whom she had known for a number of years. According to reports, however, the marriage soon became troubled, and she continued to spend considerable time in New York, where her children attended school. Although the bulk of his estate went to his daughter after his death in 1975, Jacqueline inherited a sum variously estimated at $20 million to $26 million.
Returning to an old interest, Jacqueline worked as a consulting editor at Viking Press and later as an associate and senior editor at Doubleday. She also maintained her interest in the arts and in landmark preservation. Notably, in the 1970s she played an important role in saving Grand Central Terminal in New York City. Although her name was linked romantically with different men, her constant companion during the last 12 years of her life was Maurice Tempelsman, a Belgian-born diamond dealer. Soon after she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma in 1994, she died in her New York City apartment.
Jacqueline Kennedy remains one of the most popular First Ladies of the United States. 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 won a special Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Trustees Award (a tour of the White House) for her film, the Emmy Awards in 1962, which was accepted on her behalf by Lady Bird Johnson. Kennedy was the only First Lady to win an Emmy.
During her husband's presidency, Jacqueline Kennedy became a global fashion icon. Kennedy was named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1965. In 2012, Time magazine included Kennedy on its All-TIME 100 Fashion Icons list. In 2016, Forbes included her on the list 10 Fashion Icons and the Trends They Made Famous.
A high school named Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis High School for International Careers, was dedicated by New York City in 1995, the first high school named in her honor. Public School 66 in the Richmond Hill neighborhood of Queens, New York City was renamed in honor of the former First Lady. The main reservoir in Central Park, located in Manhattan near her apartment, was renamed in her honor as the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir. The Municipal Art Society of New York presents the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Medal to an individual whose work and deeds have made an outstanding contribution to the city of New York. Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis Hall at the George Washington University (her alma mater) in Washington, DC. The White House's East Garden was renamed the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden in her honor. In 2007, her name and her first husband's were included on the list of people aboard the Japanese Kaguya mission to the moon launched on September 14, as part of The Planetary Society's "Wish Upon The Moon" campaign. In addition, they are included on the list aboard NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mission. A school and an award at the American Ballet Theatre have been named after her in honor of her childhood study of ballet.
(Mrs. Kennedy provided a masterful, authoritative, knowled...)
1962
Religion
Bouvier was baptized at the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola in Manhattan; she was raised in the Catholic faith.
Politics
In the early 1990s, Onassis supported Bill Clinton and contributed money to his presidential campaign. Following the election, she met with First Lady Hillary Clinton and advised her on raising a child in the White House.
Views
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis 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. One of her unrealized goals was to found a Department of the Arts, but she did contribute to the establishment of the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, established during Johnson's tenure.
Quotations:
"I do love you though - and can love you without kissing you every time I see you and I hope you understand that."
"A newspaper reported I spend $30,000 a year buying Paris clothes and that women hate me for it. I couldn’t spend that much unless I wore sable underwear."
"If you bungle raising your children I don't think whatever else you do well matters very much."
"I want to be there when he dies."
"He didn’t even have the satisfaction of being killed for civil rights... it had to be some silly little Communist."
"Dear God, please take care of your servant John Fitzgerald Kennedy."
"One must not let oneself be overwhelmed by sadness."
Personality
Jackie was a beautiful and elegant young woman, and when she made her social debut the Hearst newspaper gossip columnist named her Debutante of 1947. Jackie Kennedy was a shy, private woman with little experience in politics or knowledge of politicians, but she was a help to her husband in many ways.
Kennedy preferred French couture, particularly the work of Chanel, Balenciaga, and Givenchy, but was aware that in her role as First Lady, she would be expected to wear American designers' work. After noting that her taste for Paris fashion was being criticised in the press, she wrote to the noted fashion editor Diana Vreeland to ask for suitable American designers, particularly those who could reproduce the Paris look.
As a First Lady, Kennedy preferred to wear clean-cut suits with a skirt hem down to middle of the knee, three-quarter sleeves on notch-collar jackets, sleeveless A-line dresses, above-the-elbow gloves, low-heel pumps, and pillbox hats. In the years after the White House, Kennedy's style underwent a change, with her new looks consisting of wide-leg pantsuits, large lapel jackets, gypsy skirts, silk Hermès head scarves, and large, round, dark sunglasses. She often chose to wear brighter colors and patterns and even began wearing jeans in public. Throughout her lifetime, Kennedy acquired a large collection of jewelry. Her triple-strand pearl necklace, designed by American jeweler Kenneth Jay Lane, became her signature piece of jewelry during her time as First Lady in the White House.
In her years after the White House, Kennedy underwent a style change; her new looks consisted of wide-leg pantsuits, large lapel jackets, gypsy skirts, silk Hermès headscarves, and large, round, dark sunglasses. She often chose to wear brighter colors and patterns and even began wearing jeans in public. She set a new fashion trend with beltless, white jeans with a black turtleneck that was never tucked in and instead pulled down over her hips.
Kennedy acquired a large collection of jewellery throughout her lifetime. Her triple-strand pearl necklace, designed by American jeweller Kenneth Jay Lane, became her signature piece of jewelry during her time as First Lady in the White House. Often referred to as the "berry brooch," the two-fruit cluster brooch of strawberries made of rubies with stems and leaves of diamonds, designed by French jeweler Jean Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co., was personally selected and given to her by her husband several days prior to his inauguration in January 1961. She wore Schlumberger's gold and enamel bracelets so frequently in the early and mid-1960s that the press called them "Jackie bracelets"; she also favored his white enamel and gold "banana" earrings. Kennedy wore jewelry designed by Van Cleef & Arpels throughout the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s; her sentimental favorite was the Van Cleef & Arpels wedding ring given to her by President Kennedy.
Physical Characteristics:
Hair color: dark brown
Eye color: dark brown
Height: 5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
Weight: 123 lb (56 kg)
Breast/Bust size: 33 in (86 cm)
Waist size: 24 in (63 cm)
Hips size: 33 in (86 cm)
Bra size: 38B (US) / 85B (EU)
Shoe size: 10 US
Quotes from others about the person
"She changed the White House from a plastic to a crystal bowl." - Letitia Baldric
"The public knows few personal details about Jackie's last years, as she wished. But we have never lost our fascination with her, our appreciation of her role as First Lady, our caring about her and our hopes that she had found happiness and love." - Joan Beck
"The Jackie Look, or what I call the A-line look, created a worldwide impression of such dimension that she became the First Lady of the world. There wasn’t one lady on the planet who didn’t want to dress like her, comb their hair like her, walk and talk like her. And it was the first time an American designer could influence world trends." - Oleg Cassini
Interests
Fashion (Chanel, Yves Saint-Laurent)
Politicians
John F. Kennedy, Bill Clinton
Writers
Barbara Chase-Riboud
Artists
Andy Warhol
Sport & Clubs
Horse riding
Music & Bands
Michael Jackson
Connections
In 1951 Jackie met John Fitzgerald Kennedy for the first time. The next year Kennedy was elected senator from Massachusetts and moved to Washington. The two continued to see each other and became engaged in June 1953. On September 12, 1953, Jacqueline Lee Bouvier married John Fitzgerald Kennedy at an enormous wedding that was the social event of the season. There were 1, 300 guests at the reception. The only event that marred the wedding for the bride was the fact that her father, who had become an alcoholic, was incapable of escorting her down the aisle or even of attending the wedding.
On August 23, soon after her husband had left for a short vacation, Jackie went into premature labor. The baby was stillborn, and it was Jackie's brother-in-law Bobby Kennedy who consoled her and made the arrangements for the baby's burial. In 1957 Jackie suffered another loss when her father died. This was also a difficult period in the Kennedy marriage. Much was rumored at the time and has been written subsequently about the various extramarital affairs that John Kennedy had both before and during his presidency, all of which undoubtedly put a strain on his and Jackie's marriage. On November 27, 1957, Caroline Bouvier Kennedy was born.
Jackie campaigned vigorously for her husband until she became pregnant in 1960, and even afterwards continued to help as much as she was physically able until the birth of her son John Jr.
In April 1963, the Kennedys announced that Jackie was pregnant. On August 7, 1963, Patrick Bouvier Kennedy was born. He died three days later.
In October 1968 Jackie Kennedy married Aristotle Onassis, a Greek shipping magnate. He was 62 and she was 39. Jackie spent large portions of her time in New York to be with her children. As the years went by, the Onassis marriage was rumored to be a difficult one, and the couple began to spend most of their time apart. Aristotle Onassis died in 1975 and, widowed for a second time, Jackie returned permanently to New York.
Father:
John Vernou Bouvier III
(May 19, 1891 – August 3, 1957)
He was an American Wall Street stockbroker and socialite. He was the father of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and of socialite Lee Radziwill, and was the father-in-law of John F. Kennedy.
Mother:
Janet Lee Bouvier
(December 3, 1907 – July 22, 1989)
She was an American socialite and the mother of the former First Lady Jacqueline Onassis.
Spouse:
Aristotle Onassis
(20 January 1906 – 15 March 1975)
He was a Greek shipping magnate who amassed the world's largest privately owned shipping fleet and was one of the world's richest and most famous men.
stepfather:
Hugh D. Auchincloss
(August 15, 1897 – November 20, 1976)
He was an American stockbroker and lawyer who became the second husband of Nina S. Gore, mother of Gore Vidal, and also the second husband of Janet Lee Bouvier, the mother of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (wife of President John F. Kennedy) and Caroline Lee Bouvier.
Brother:
James Lee Auchincloss
Sister:
Nina Auchincloss Straight
(born January 10, 1937)
Nina is an American author, journalist, and socialite. She is the mother of writer/director Burr Steers and artist Hugh Auchincloss Steers, half-sister of Gore Vidal, step-sister of First Lady Jacqueline Onassis and socialite Lee Radziwill.
Sister:
Janet Auchincloss Rutherfurd
(June 13, 1945 – March 13, 1985)
She was an American socialite. She was the half-sister of the former First Lady of the United States, Jacqueline Onassis and socialite Lee Radziwill.
Sister:
Lee Radziwill
(March 3, 1933 – February 15, 2019)
She was an American socialite, public-relations executive, and interior decorator.
ex-spouse:
John Kennedy
(May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963)
He was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from January 1961 until his assassination in November 1963.
Son:
John F. Kennedy Jr.
(November 25, 1960 – July 16, 1999)
He was an American lawyer, journalist, and magazine publisher. He was a son of President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, and a younger brother of Caroline Kennedy. His father was assassinated three days before his third birthday.
Daughter:
Caroline Kennedy
(born November 27, 1957)
She is an American author, attorney, and diplomat who served as the United States Ambassador to Japan from 2013 to 2017.
Son:
Patrick Bouvier Kennedy
(August 7, 1963 – August 9, 1963)
He was the infant child of United States President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. He was the younger brother of Caroline and John Jr.; another daughter was stillborn. Born prematurely, Kennedy lived just over 39 hours before desperate attempts to save him failed, putting the First Family and nation into mourning. Three months later, his death was eclipsed by his father's assassination, but the Kennedy infant's death brought hyaline membrane disease (HMD) into the public consciousness and inspired further research.
Daughter:
Arabella Kennedy
(August 23, 1956, Newport Hospital Emergency Room, Newport, Rhode Island, United States - August 23, 1956, Newport, Rhode Island, United States)
Brother:
Hugh Dudley "Yusha" Auchincloss III
Partner:
Maurice Tempelsman
(born August 26, 1929)
He is a Belgian-American businessman and diamond merchant. He was the longtime companion of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, former First Lady of the United States.
Friend:
Nancy Tuckerman
(October 24, 1928 – August 1, 2018)
She was the White House Social Secretary during the Kennedy administration. After the Kennedy assassination, she remained the personal secretary to Jackie Kennedy until the latter's death in 1994.
Friend:
Oleg Cassini
(11 April 1913 – 17 March 2006)
He was an American fashion designer born to an aristocratic Russian family with maternal Italian ancestry. He came to the United States as a young man after starting as a designer in Rome, and quickly got work with Paramount Pictures. Cassini established his reputation by designing for films.
