Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
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Name	Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Caption	Official White House portrait, 1961
Birth name	Jacqueline Lee Bouvier
Birth date	28 July 1929
Birth place	Southampton, New York, U.S.
Death date	19 May 1994
Death place	New York City, U.S.
Resting place	Arlington National Cemetery
Spouse	John F. Kennedy (m. 1953; died 1963), Aristotle Onassis (m. 1968; died 1975)
Children	Arabella Kennedy, Caroline Kennedy, John F. Kennedy Jr., Patrick Bouvier Kennedy
Education	Vassar College, George Washington University (BA), University of Paris
Occupation	First Lady of the United States, book editor, preservationist

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was an American socialite, writer, editor, and iconic First Lady whose style and cultural advocacy defined an era. As the wife of President John F. Kennedy, she became a global symbol of grace and sophistication, famously overseeing the historic restoration of the White House. Her later life was marked by a highly publicized marriage to Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis and a successful career as a book editor in New York City.

Early life and education

Born Jacqueline Lee Bouvier in Southampton, New York, she was the elder daughter of stockbroker John Vernou Bouvier III and socialite Janet Lee Bouvier. She spent her childhood between New York City and the equestrian estates of Long Island, developing a lifelong passion for literature, art, and horses. She attended elite institutions including Miss Porter's School before enrolling at Vassar College. She spent her junior year abroad at the University of Paris at the Sorbonne, an experience that profoundly shaped her appreciation for European culture and history. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in French literature at George Washington University.

Marriage to John F. Kennedy

After a brief career as the "Inquiring Camera Girl" for the Washington Times-Herald, she met then-Congressman John F. Kennedy at a dinner party in Georgetown. Their engagement was announced in June 1953, and they were married in a highly publicized ceremony at St. Mary's Church in Newport, Rhode Island, celebrated at Hammersmith Farm. As Kennedy's political career ascended from Senator to President, she managed their households, supported his campaigns, and endured personal tragedies including a miscarriage and the stillbirth of their daughter Arabella Kennedy.

First Lady of the United States

As First Lady from 1961 to 1963, she became an international icon, renowned for her fashion sense and patronage of the arts. Her most celebrated project was the extensive restoration and historic redecoration of the White House, culminating in the nationally televised "A Tour of the White House with Mrs. John F. Kennedy" on CBS. She founded the White House Historical Association and established the position of a permanent White House Curator. She also championed cultural diplomacy, organizing state dinners for figures like André Malraux and undertaking goodwill tours to India and Pakistan. Her poised presence during the Cuban Missile Crisis and profound dignity following the assassination of John F. Kennedy in Dallas cemented her place in the national consciousness.

Later life and marriage to Aristotle Onassis

Following the assassination, she remained in the public eye, dedicating herself to memorializing her husband's legacy, most notably through the creation of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. In 1968, she shocked the world by marrying wealthy Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, moving to his private island of Skorpios. The marriage, often scrutinized by the international press, provided her a measure of privacy and security from relentless media attention. Following Onassis's death in 1975, she successfully negotiated a settlement with his daughter, Christina Onassis, and returned permanently to the United States.

Career in publishing

In 1975, she began a second career in publishing, first as a consulting editor at Viking Press and then, from 1978 until her death, as an associate editor at Doubleday. She worked closely with authors, editing a diverse range of successful books, including Michael Jackson's autobiography Moon Walk, Bill Moyers's The Power of Myth, and historical works by Egyptologist Thomas Hoving. Respected for her keen editorial eye and discretion, she was instrumental in bringing literary projects to fruition while fiercely guarding her own privacy.

Death and legacy

Diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in early 1994, she died at her apartment on Fifth Avenue in New York City at age 64. Her funeral was held at St. Ignatius Loyola Church, and she was buried beside President Kennedy at Arlington National Cemetery. Her legacy endures as a paragon of American style, a pioneering preservationist who saved historic landmarks like Grand Central Terminal, and a complex figure who navigated immense public scrutiny with resilience. She remains one of the most admired and influential First Ladies in American history.

Category:American book editors Category:First Ladies of the United States Category:20th-century American women writers