Jackie Kennedy Onassis, an iconic figure in American history and worldwide style icon, passed away on May 19, 1994, after battling non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Born Jacqueline Lee Bouvier on July 28, 1929, in Southampton, New York, to socialite mother Janet Lee and stockbroker father John “Black Jack” Bouvier, she grew up in privileged surroundings in various locations like New York City, Virginia, and Rhode Island. Bouvier was well-educated, studying at Vassar College and later The George Washington University, where she met John F. Kennedy.
Jackie and John F. Kennedy got married on September 12, 1953, in a ceremony in Newport, Rhode Island. Kennedy, who was already a senator at the time, won the Pulitzer Prize for his book “Profiles in Courage.” The couple had their first child, Caroline, in 1957. Kennedy announced his candidacy for the U.S. presidency in 1960, with Jackie supporting him actively during the campaign despite being pregnant with their second child, John Fitzgerald Kennedy Jr. Kennedy won the election in a close race against Richard M. Nixon.
As First Lady, Jackie Kennedy brought a youthful spirit to the White House and accompanied President Kennedy on official trips abroad. She was known for her interest in foreign cultures, fluency in several languages, and her charm, which earned her admiration worldwide. However, tragedy struck the couple when their third child, Patrick Bouvier Kennedy, died shortly after birth in 1963, followed by President Kennedy’s assassination in Dallas later that year. Jackie Kennedy became a worldwide symbol of grace and courage during this period.
The Kennedy legacy was associated with the word “Camelot,” evoking a sense of unfulfilled promise and a mythical time. Jackie Kennedy played a crucial role in preserving her late husband’s memory by working on the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. After Kennedy’s death, she married Aristotle Onassis in 1968 until his passing in 1975. Continuing her work in publishing and arts, she played a vital role in landmark preservation efforts, including saving Grand Central Terminal in New York City. Jackie Kennedy passed away in 1994, surrounded by loved ones and her favorite things.
Following her death, Jackie Kennedy’s son, John F. Kennedy Jr., spoke to the press expressing gratitude for her life and legacy. Tragically, he, along with his wife Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and sister-in-law Lauren Bessette, died in a plane crash in 1999. Jackie Kennedy was buried next to President Kennedy in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. Her life and contributions continue to be remembered and celebrated, with her influence seen in various aspects of American culture and history.
