a visit to the JFK Museum
perfect all-american
One of the (many) highlights of my recent trip to the United States was visiting the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, Massachusetts. I arrived at the museum right when it opened at 10 a.m., hoping to blitz through it before catching a noon flight to Washington, D.C.—and I was not disappointed.
To be frank, I hadn’t read much about JFK before. My main interest to visit actually came from reading The Patriarch by David Nasaw, a biography of Kennedy’s father, Joseph Patrick Kennedy. Kennedy Sr. was the founder of the Kennedy dynasty as we all know today. Though he came from somewhat humble beginnings as the son of a local Boston politician, he grew into a billionaire financier and dominated early 20th-century Wall Street as a speculator. Later, he dipped into the Roaring 20s Hollywood as a studio owner and navigated New Deal era Washington D.C. as a major donor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He also served as the first Chairman of the SEC, chaired the Maritime Commission, and was U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain at the outbreak of World War II.
Soon after, Kennedy Sr. had a very public fallout with FDR and the Washington establishment, largely due to his isolationist stance—even after Pearl Harbor. He was seen as a Nazi sympathizer for predicting Britain would fall under Nazi rule. Public sentiment toward him plummeted sharply, which ended any chance he might have had to run for public office. Despite that, he continued to thrive financially (he was one of the richest men in America at the time) and devoted himself to orchestrating the careers of his sons, with the goal of making one of them President of the United States.
The museum begins with a 20-minute video about JFK, which I found amusing knowing how much his father influenced his early and later career (Kennedy Sr. would outlive four of his nine children). However, the introductory film that brought everyone up to his 1960 Presidential Election campaign barely mentions the role of his father and the rest of his family with the exception of Robert Kennedy and his wife Jackie Kennedy. Nevertheless, it was fascinating to learn more about JFK’s early years. I’ve recently started reading Robert Caro’s seminal work The Years of Lyndon Johnson—I’ve just finished the second volume—and I couldn’t help but notice how JFK was already throwing shade at LBJ during his short but meaningful presidency.
Seeing the photographs and historical items related to JFK was wonderful, but what struck me most was how important “legacy” is when it comes to U.S. Presidents. Kennedy was arguably the last great American President who was widely revered by Americans and the world. By all accounts, his presidency could have faded into obscurity because of its brevity (who knows Zachary Taylor or William Henry Harrison)—and scandals like the Bay of Pigs—but his words and reputation live on thanks to his actions during the Cuban Missile Crisis, Civil Rights movement, Space program, and his remarkable charisma. Robert Caro points out in his second volume on LBJ that Johnson’s Vietnam War policy was a major factor in tarnishing the global image of the U.S. presidency. Watergate and subsequent missteps by modern administrations played their parts too, but LBJ’s Vietnam legacy was the first domino to fall in how the world viewed American leadership. Which in turn makes JFK the last ‘likeable’ American President who commanded not just the power and stature that comes with the office but global admiration.
Kennedy’s youth, wealth, and good looks certainly helped elevate him in the public’s esteem. Yet beyond all that, I found him surprisingly eloquent. Not just in his famous speeches but also in debates before he became a Congressman or Senator. In many ways, JFK was the last American President the world truly looked up to. His presidential library is a strong testament to his enduring stature—further evidenced by his nephew, who, riding largely on the Kennedy name, seemed poised to gain a not-insignificant share of the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election vote as an Independent candidate until he dropped out of the race to support the Republican candidate which has led to him being nominated for Donald Trump’s cabinet. Sixty years later, the Kennedy name still resonates deeply with Americans.
While in D.C., I visited Arlington National Cemetery to see the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. On the way, I noticed signs leading to the JFK memorial, where I found JFK’s final resting place alongside his wife and children. There was also his eternal flame near the grave which added even more stature to the place. His siblings, who also served in World War II (an expectation set by Joseph Kennedy Sr. after he himself avoided service in WWI), are buried nearby. JFK’s military service earned him national sympathy and was promoted throughout his political career especially during campaigns.
During World War II, JFK served as the commander of a torpedo patrol boat called PT-109 in the South Pacific. In August 1943, a Japanese destroyer rammed and sank his craft, throwing crew members overboard. Despite being injured, Kennedy led the survivors to a nearby island and even carried an injured crewman—swimming for hours with the life jacket strap literally clenched in his teeth. His leadership and quick thinking saved lives and earned him both the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for heroism. This tale being recounted in The Patriarch was riveting as Kennedy Sr. was frantically using all his power and influence in Washington and the Press to find out about what had happened to his son. When he found out that his son had escaped and had a heroic and almost mythical military tale, Kennedy Sr. used his financial backing and influence of the Press to get stories about JFK’s pacific ordeal out to the public creating a mythical aura about the young Jack Kennedy even before he entered politics. This story would be the foundation from which Kennedy would swiftly ascend to the highest office in America.
Overall, the trip to the JFK Presidential Library and the subsequent visit to his gravesite in Arlington were moving experiences that brought to life the incredible reach of the Kennedy legacy. It underscored for me just how pivotal JFK’s presidency was and why his reputation endures, both in the United States and the world.
