John F. Kennedy | Biography, Siblings, Party, Assassination, & Facts

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• Introduction & Top Questions
• Early life
• Congressman and senator
• At a glance: the Kennedy presidency
• Presidential candidate and president
• Assassination
• Cabinet of Pres. John F. Kennedy

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John F. Kennedy 35th president of the United States Quick Summary Ask the Chatbot Print print Print Please select which sections you would like to print:

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External Websites

• Official Site of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum
• Miller Center - John F. Kennedy

Britannica Websites Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.

• John F. Kennedy - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
• John F. Kennedy - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

Quick Summary Ask the Chatbot a Question Also known as: JFK, John Fitzgerald Kennedy Written by William Manchester William Manchester was an American historian who published three popular volumes about President John F. Kennedy: Portrait of a President: John F. Kennedy in Profile (1961), The Death of a... William Manchester Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Nov. 23, 2025 •History Table of Contents Table of Contents Quick Summary Ask the Chatbot a Question Top Questions

What was John F. Kennedy’s family like?

John F. Kennedy was reared in a large Roman Catholic family of Irish descent that demanded intense physical and intellectual competition among its nine siblings. Steeped in Democratic Party politics, the family produced three presidential candidates: John and his brothers Robert and Ted.

What were John F. Kennedy’s parents’ names?

John F. Kennedy’s father was Joseph P. Kennedy, who acquired a multimillion-dollar fortune in banking, bootlegging, shipbuilding, motion pictures, and the stock market and who served as U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom. His mother, Rose, was the daughter of John F. (“Honey Fitz”) Fitzgerald, onetime mayor of Boston.

When was John F. Kennedy born and when did he die?

John F. Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917, in Brookline, Massachusetts, and he was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963. While riding in a motorcade, he was struck by two rifle bullets and died shortly after hospitalization. Lee Harvey Oswald was accused of the slaying.

What were John F. Kennedy’s jobs?

John F. Kennedy served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, represented the Massachusetts 11th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives for three terms (1947–53), served two terms as a U.S. senator for Massachusetts (1953–60), and was the 35th president of the United States (1961–63).

What was John F. Kennedy famous for?

John F. Kennedy, the first Roman Catholic president of the United States, sparked the idealism of “a new generation of Americans” with his charm and optimism, championed the U.S. space program, and showed cool dynamic leadership during the Cuban missile crisis, before becoming the victim of an assassination.

News •

JFK's granddaughter reveals terminal cancer diagnosis, criticizes cousin RFK Jr. • Nov. 23, 2025, 3:00 PM ET (AP) Show less

John F. Kennedy (born May 29, 1917, Brookline, Massachusetts, U.S.—died November 22, 1963, Dallas, Texas) was the 35th president of the United States (1961–63), who faced a number of foreign crises, especially in Cuba and Berlin, but managed to secure such achievements as the Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty and the Alliance for Progress. He was assassinated while riding in a motorcade in Dallas.

(Read John Kennedy’s Britannica entry on Oliver Ellsworth.)

Early life

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The second of nine children, Kennedy was reared in a family that demanded intense physical and intellectual competition among the siblings—the family’s touch football games at their Hyannis Port retreat later became legendary—and was schooled in the religious teachings of the Roman Catholic church and the political precepts of the Democratic Party. His father, Joseph Patrick Kennedy, had acquired a multimillion-dollar fortune in banking, bootlegging, shipbuilding, and the film industry, and as a skilled player of the stock market. His mother, Rose, was the daughter of John F. (“Honey Fitz”) Fitzgerald, onetime mayor of Boston. They established trust funds for their children that guaranteed lifelong financial independence. After serving as the head of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Joseph Kennedy became the U.S. ambassador to Great Britain, and for six months in 1938 John served as his secretary, drawing on that experience to write his senior thesis at Harvard University (B.S., 1940) on Great Britain’s military unpreparedness. He then expanded that thesis into a best-selling book, Why England Slept (1940).

In the fall of 1941 Kennedy joined the U.S. Navy and two years later was sent to the South Pacific. By the time he was discharged in 1945, his older brother, Joe, who their father had expected would be the first Kennedy to run for office, had been killed in the war, and the family’s political standard passed to John, who had planned to pursue an academic or journalistic career.

Quick Facts In full: John Fitzgerald Kennedy (Show more) Byname: JFK (Show more) Born: May 29, 1917, Brookline, Massachusetts, U.S. (Show more) Died: November 22, 1963, Dallas, Texas (aged 46) (Show more) Title / Office: presidency of the United States of America (1961-1963), United States United States Senate (1953-1960), United States House of Representatives (1947-1953), United States (Show more) Political Affiliation: Democratic Party (Show more) Awards And Honors: Pulitzer Prize (Show more) Notable Works: “Profiles in Courage” (Show more) House / Dynasty: Kennedy family (Show more) Notable Family Members: spouse Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis father Joseph P. Kennedy mother Rose Kennedy daughter Caroline Kennedy son John F. Kennedy, Jr. brother Ted Kennedy brother Robert F. Kennedy sister Eunice Kennedy Shriver sister Rosemary Kennedy (Show more) Role In: Bay of Pigs invasion Cold War Cuban missile crisis Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Vietnam War World War II Equal Pay Act (Show more) See all related content Show More

John Kennedy himself had barely escaped death in battle. Commanding a patrol torpedo (PT) boat, he was gravely injured when a Japanese destroyer sank it in the Solomon Islands. Marooned far behind enemy lines, he led his men back to safety and was awarded the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Medal for heroism. He also returned to active command at his own request. (These events were later depicted in a Hollywood film, PT 109 [1963], that contributed to the Kennedy mystique.) However, the further injury to his back, which had bothered him since his teens, never really healed. Despite operations in 1944, 1954, and 1955, he was in pain for much of the rest of his life. He also suffered from Addison disease, though this affliction was publicly concealed. “At least one-half of the days he spent on this earth,” wrote his brother Robert, “were days of intense physical pain.” (After he became president, Kennedy combated the pain with injections of amphetamines—then thought to be harmless and used by more than a few celebrities for their energizing effect. According to some reports, both Kennedy and the first lady became heavily dependent on these injections through weekly use.) None of this prevented Kennedy from undertaking a strenuous life in politics. His family expected him to run for public office and to win.

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