JFK Library Foundation

10/14/2026

New from our friends at the WorldViews Podcast: an in-depth discussion about President Kennedy’s legacies in our time with JFK’s nephew and Foundation Board member Stephen Smith and JFK biographer Fredrik Logevall.

WorldViews is proud to present a rare and remarkable fireside trilo...

10/14/2026

Want to strengthen your Profile in Courage Essay? Take it from a past winner: dig into the primary sources. 🔎

Jeremy Haynes wrote about Alabama State Senator Joseph Langan and his passionate defense of Black voting rights in the South. Jeremy recalls how exploring primary source documents helped him better understand the Senator’s story—and ultimately write a stronger essay.

Hear about Jeremy’s research process, then learn how you can use primary and secondary sources in your own Profile in Courage Essay Contest entry.

https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/education/profile-in-courage-essay-contest/for-student-participants/prepare-your-essay/helpful-tips-for-writing-your-essay

The JFK Profile in Courage Essay Contest is made possible with support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and More Perfect.

10/12/2026

Last week, Caroline Kennedy joined the 60th anniversary celebration of the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School, reflecting on its vital role in preparing new generations of leaders committed to serving the greater good.

Addressing Harvard students, faculty, alumni, and friends, she underscored why the IOP’s mission remains as critical today as ever.

“Today when faith in institutions is fragile and cynicism is easy, our challenge has never been more urgent. Because of the people in this room and those who have gone before you, I have confidence the IOP will meet this moment and all those yet to come.”

10/12/2026

In 1962, JFK met with members of the American Indian Chicago Conference, who had created the Declaration of Indian Purpose the year before.

See more photos and learn who was there: https://www.jfklibrary.org/asset-viewer/archives/jfkwhp-1962-08-15-c #?image_identifier=JFKWHP-ST-C28-3-62

10/08/2026

Today, we remember Margaret Hamilton, who died at age 90 this week. A pioneer in software engineering, Hamilton led the NASA team that developed the onboard flight software for the Apollo missions, including the guidance system that helped land astronauts on the Moon.

In 2020, Hamilton worked with the JFK Library Foundation and TED-Ed to create an animated lesson explaining how her software helped Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins successfully complete their mission and change history forever.

Hamilton later founded her own company, continuing to advance the pioneering technologies she helped develop. Her work extended far beyond Apollo 11: the software she and her team developed proved incredibly reliable during the Apollo program, with no software bugs detected during any crewed mission.

Watch the full video and learn more about space pioneer Margaret Hamilton:

Learn how Margaret Hamilton and her team of engineers built the sof...

10/08/2026

In the latest from In Pursuit USA, First Lady Michelle Obama writes about Jacqueline Kennedy’s double responsibility to her children and the country during her time in the White House.

https://inpursuit.substack.com/p/jacqueline-kennedy-by-michelle-obama

Michelle Obama writes about Jacqueline Kennedy, a model of stewardship built around care without ownership.

Mrs. Kennedy arrived at the White House at 31 and immediately set out to make the residence work for her children while restoring the public rooms as a tribute to the country's history. She founded the White House Historical Association, led a televised tour that drew 50 million viewers, and set a bipartisan precedent every first family since has leaned on.

Read the full essay here: https://inpursuit.substack.com/p/jacqueline-kennedy-by-michelle-obama

10/07/2026

"The age of nuclear energy has been full of fear, yet never empty of hope. Today the fear is a little less and the hope a little greater. For the first time we have been able to reach an agreement which can limit the dangers of this age."

on October 7, 1963, President Kennedy ratified the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Learn more: https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/jfk-in-history/nuclear-test-ban-treaty

10/06/2026

“Treat life as a working draft.” We’re excited to read the essay on President Kennedy by Alexis Coe for In Pursuit USA, a national civics project from More Perfect. Read here: https://inpursuit.substack.com/p/john-f-kennedy-by-alexis-coe

Alexis Coe writes about John F. Kennedy as a figure who never stopped revising himself. Beneath the Camelot mythology, she traces a life shaped by chronic illness, loss, and a steady habit of turning setbacks into structure.

Read the full essay here: https://inpursuit.substack.com/p/john-f-kennedy-by-alexis-coe?r=2wtrt

JFK Library Foundation

10/05/2026

on October 5, 1962: JFK kicks off a Congressional campaign trip in the Midwest, making his first stop in Cincinnati, Ohio. This trip would last three days and bring him to three states (Michigan and Minnesota, in addition to Ohio).

Read more about JFK’s midterm campaigning:

September 16, 2021December 12, 2022 kabramson “The Business of Every Citizen”: President John F. Kennedy Stumps for Democratic Candidates in 1962 (This post was published on our previous blog on 2/24/2016.) By Lindsay Closterman, former White House Photographs Metadata Cataloger In the last few ...

10/04/2026

Today is , and JFK certainly qualifies as a fan of the sport! Today he is considered one of the best presidential golfers, but early on in his administration the public wasn’t aware of his love (or talent) for the sport.

JFK’s friend Red Fay discussed some of their golf outings in an oral history for the JFK Library: https://www.jfklibrary.org/asset-viewer/archives/jfkoh-pbf-04