| John F. Kennedy | |
|---|---|
| |
| Kennedy in 1961 | |
| United States Senator from Massachusetts | |
| In office January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1971 | |
| Preceded by | Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. |
| Succeeded by | George C. Lodge |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 11th district | |
| In office January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1953 | |
| Preceded by | James Michael Curley |
| Succeeded by | Tip O'Neill |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 29, 1917 Brookline, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | November 8, 1977 (aged 60) Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Jacqueline Bouvier (m. 1953) |
| Children | 4 |
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 - November 8, 1977), also known as Jack Kennedy or by his initials JFK, was an American politician who served as Senator from Massachusetts from 1953 until his retirement in 1971. He is known for being the brother of President Robert Kennedy and Senator from Colorado Ted Kennedy. He was a presumptive nominee in the 1960 election, but he declined the possibility as he feared his chances of defeating then-incumbent Richard Nixon were slim.
A member of the famous Kennedy Family, Jack was born on Brookline, Massachusetts in 1913. Shortly after graduating from Harvard, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and eventually fought on the Pacific Theater of World War II. Back in America, he represented his home states' 11th district in the House of Representatives, which later allowed him to become Senator. Kennedy was a vice presidential nominee in the 1956 election, but lost said title to Estes Kefauver, whos ticket would end up losing the election to Richard Nixon. Four years later, he was expected by some to run against Nixon, but he confirmed he had no intentions to run in January of 1960, endorsing his fellow Senator Hubert Humphrey. Kennedy was highly supportive of the Civil Rights Act of 1963 and played a crucial in its passing in the Senate alongside Lyndon B. Johnson from Texas.
He retired from his seat in 1971 due to health-related issues, and was succeeded by George C. Lodge, son of President Henry Cabot Lodge. He died on November 8, 1977, to an unknown issue, possibly caused by his Addison's disease.