September 12: On This Day in World History … briefly
Most notable historic snippets or facts extracted from the book ‘On This Day’ first published in 1992 by Octopus Publishing Group Ltd, London, as well as additional supplementary information extracted from Wikipedia.
1953: US Senator and future President John Fitzgerald Kennedy marries Jacqueline Lee Bouvier at St Mary’s Church in Newport, Rhode Island
John Fitzgerald Kennedy met his future wife, Jacqueline Lee ‘Jackie’ Bouvier (1929–1994), when he was a congressman. Charles L Bartlett, a journalist, introduced the pair at a dinner party. They were married a year after he was elected senator, on September 12, 1953. Their second child Caroline was born in 1957 and is the only surviving member of JFK’s immediate family. John Fitzgerald Kennedy Jr, nicknamed ‘John-John’ by the press as a child, was born in late November 1960, 17 days after his father was elected. John Jr, a graduate of Brown University, died in 1999 when the small plane he was piloting crashed en route to Martha’s Vineyard.
Kennedy and his wife were younger in comparison to the presidents and first ladies who preceded them, and both were popular in the media culture in ways more common to pop singers and movie stars than politicians, influencing fashion trends and becoming the subjects of numerous photo spreads in popular magazines.
Although Eisenhower had allowed presidential press conferences to be filmed for television, Kennedy was the first president to ask for them to be broadcast live and made good use of the medium. In 1961 the Radio-Television News Directors Association presented Kennedy with its highest honour, the Paul White Award, in recognition of his open relationship with the media.
Mrs Kennedy brought new art and furniture to the White House, and directed its restoration. They invited a range of artists, writers and intellectuals to rounds of White House dinners, raising the profile of the arts in America. On the White House lawn, the Kennedys established a swimming pool and tree house, while Caroline attended a pre-school along with 10 other children inside the home.
The president was closely tied to popular culture, emphasised by songs such as ‘Twisting at the White House’. Vaughn Meader’s First Family comedy album, which parodied the president, the first lady, their family, and the administration, sold about four million copies. On May 19, 1962, Marilyn Monroe sang ‘Happy Birthday, Mr President’ at a large party in Madison Square Garden, celebrating Kennedy’s upcoming forty-fifth birthday.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram
For news straight to your phone, add us on BBM 58F3D7A7 or WhatsApp 082 421 6033
