The Kennedy Family: A Legacy Marked by Tragedy

Despite their brief time in the White House, John F. Kennedy (JFK) and his wife, Jacqueline Bouvier, are often regarded as one of the most iconic presidential couples in American history. A 2017 study by the nonpartisan organization InsideGov ranked them as the sixth most powerful couple to govern the United States. JFK’s presidency was a time of renewal, infusing the nation with optimism and representing the zenith of a political dynasty.

The Kennedy Dynasty

Joseph P. Kennedy, JFK’s father, was a successful businessman with Irish roots who emerged from a prominent New England family. He served as an ambassador to the United Kingdom under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1914, he married Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald, a member of Boston’s privileged Catholic elite, whose father had served as the city’s mayor. In 1951, Pope Pius XII named her a countess.

The couple had nine children, many of whom faced premature death. The latest loss occurred recently when Tatiana Schlossberg, JFK’s granddaughter and daughter of Caroline Kennedy, passed away at the age of 35 due to terminal cancer, a condition she revealed in a column for The New Yorker. Her death follows the tragic overdose of Saoirse Kennedy Hill, one of Robert F. Kennedy’s daughters, in August 2019 at just 22 years old. Here are other somber events that have marked the Kennedy family.

Tragic Events in the Kennedy Family

1. The Lobotomy of Rosemary

Rosemary Kennedy, Joseph and Rose’s third child and the first of five daughters, was born in 1918. Due to medical errors during her birth, she suffered brain damage, resulting in intellectual disabilities, which the family initially tried to conceal. In 1941, at the age of 23, Joseph made the fateful decision to have her lobotomized, a controversial procedure thought to remedy various mental ailments at the time. The outcome was devastating; Rosemary lost her ability to walk and speak, spending the next 64 years in institutions requiring full-time care.

2. The Death of the Eldest Son

Just three years after Rosemary’s surgery, her older brother, Joe Jr., met his end during World War II while flying a dangerous mission as a pilot. His untimely death left him out of the political arena, despite his father’s intentions for him to have a future in politics. Joe Jr. had volunteered to transport a significant explosive load aimed at a Nazi stronghold in France when his plane exploded mid-flight. He was just 29 years old, and his body was never recovered.

3. A Double Tragedy

John F. Kennedy Jr., known affectionately as “John John,” was the first son of JFK and Jacqueline Bouvier. He lost his life in a plane crash on July 16, 1999, off Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. He was 38 years old at the time of the accident, which also claimed the lives of his wife, Carolyn Bessette, and her sister, Lauren Bessette. The media had closely followed John’s life, magnifying the tragedy of his sudden death.

But John John was not alone in facing early death from plane crashes; his sister Kathleen Kennedy, known as “Kick,” also perished in an aviation accident in 1948 while flying to France with her husband, a British military aristocrat.

4. The Assassination of JFK

Joseph P. Kennedy’s dream of a son in the White House was realized with JFK, who sought to land a man on the Moon by the end of the 1960s and faced the Cuban Missile Crisis that threatened global peace. However, on November 22, 1963, just two months shy of his third anniversary in office, JFK was tragically assassinated in Dallas, Texas, while riding in a convertible with Jacqueline. Lee Harvey Oswald, a former U.S. Marine who had once lived in the Soviet Union, was arrested for the assassination but was killed two days later, leading to widespread speculation about a potential conspiracy.

5. The Assassination of Robert Kennedy

In June 1968, Robert Kennedy, JFK’s younger brother and a Democratic presidential candidate, was fatally shot in the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles shortly after giving a campaign speech. As a former Attorney General and a prominent figure in the civil rights movement, his assassination was a devastating blow to the nation. The gunman, Sirhan Sirhan, claimed he acted out of opposition to Kennedy’s support for Israel. Although conspiracy theories surfaced, Sirhan’s involvement is firmly established.

6. Ted Kennedy’s Accident

Edward “Ted” Kennedy, the youngest brother of JFK, experienced a scandalous accident in 1969 on Chappaquiddick Island. After a party, his car veered off a bridge, leading to the drowning of Mary Jo Kopechne, a 29-year-old woman. Ted managed to escape but did not report the incident for several hours. He later admitted his responsibility in a televised address, maintaining that he had not been drinking at the time. His legal consequences included a suspended sentence for leaving the scene, yet this tragic event would shadow his political career for years to come.

Conclusion

The Kennedy family’s legacy is intertwined with tragedy, embodying both the allure and the challenges of political life. From Rosemary’s lobotomy to the assassinations of JFK and Robert, their stories remind us of the personal costs behind public personas.

Key Takeaways

• The Kennedy family has experienced significant tragedies, shaping their legacy as one marked by both achievements and loss.
• John F. Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline remain iconic figures in American history despite their short time in office.
• Many family members have suffered premature deaths, including tragic accidents and assassinations.
• The events surrounding the Kennedy family highlight the harsh realities that often accompany public service and fame.