The Kennedy Family Legacy

The Kennedy Family

The Kennedy family has exerted a profound and enduring influence on modern American politics, public service, and cultural life throughout the 20th century. Characterized by immense wealth, charisma, and tragedy, the family established a powerful political dynasty rooted in Massachusetts. Through the presidency, cabinet positions, and congressional leadership, they championed liberalism, civil rights, and public service, symbolizing an era of generational hope and ambition.

People

Select All Clear All

Birth Death Origin Age (Death)

1888
1917
1925
1929
1932

Timeline

Category
Element

Year	The Kennedy Family
1888	Birth of Joseph Patrick Kennedy Sr. (Period: September 6, 1888, Location: Boston, Massachusetts, United States)
1914	Marriage (Joseph Patrick Kennedy Sr., Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy)
1917	Birth of John Fitzgerald Kennedy (Period: May 29, 1917, Location: Brookline, Massachusetts, United States)
1920	Expansion into the Hollywood film industry
1925	Birth of Robert Francis Kennedy (Period: November 20, 1925, Location: Brookline, Massachusetts, United States)
1929	Birth of Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis (Period: July 28, 1929, Location: Southampton, New York, United States)
1930	Support for the Civil Rights Movement
1932	Birth of Edward Moore Kennedy (Period: February 22, 1932, Location: Boston, Massachusetts, United States)
1934	Creation of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Appointment as first Chairman of the SEC
1938	Appointment as Ambassador to the United Kingdom (Joseph Patrick Kennedy Sr.)
1939	Nazi Germany appeasement statement issue
1940	Early Cold War Construction of the Kennedy family political strategy
1941	World War II
1943	PT-109 incident
1944	Death in action of Joseph P. Kennedy Jr.
1947	Cold War
1950	Pursuit of organized crime Marriage (Robert Francis Kennedy, Ethel Skakel Kennedy)
1951	Joining the Washington Times-Herald
1953	Marriage (John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy) Marriage (Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, John F. Kennedy)
1960	Promotion of health care reform
1961	Berlin Crisis Promotion of the Apollo program Appointment as Attorney General (Robert Francis Kennedy) Retirement due to stroke (Joseph Patrick Kennedy Sr.) Official visit to France White House restoration project
1962	Longest-serving tenure in the Senate Election to the Massachusetts Senate special election (Edward Moore Kennedy) Cuban Missile Crisis
1963	Vietnam War Formation of the Camelot myth Death of John Fitzgerald Kennedy Assassination in Dallas John F. Kennedy assassination incident
1964	1964 aircraft accident
1967	Inspection of poverty in the Delta region
1968	1968 presidential election campaign Remarriage with Aristotle Onassis Indianapolis speech 1968 Robert F. Kennedy assassination Los Angeles assassination Death of Robert Francis Kennedy Marriage (Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, Aristotle Onassis)
1969	Chappaquiddick incident Death of Joseph Patrick Kennedy Sr.
1970	Grand Central Terminal preservation movement
1975	Active as a book publisher and editor
1980	Gulf War crisis and post-Cold War military intervention debate 1980 Democratic presidential primary
1992	Marriage (Edward Moore Kennedy, Joan Bennett Kennedy, Victoria Reggie Kennedy)
1994	Death of Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis
2009	Death of Edward Moore Kennedy

Map

Category
Element

United States World

Group	List
New England	Cold War diplomacy The Kennedy Family Harvard University - Intellectual Network Liberal politics Military and Security Civil Rights Movement International cooperation Cold War Policy Media and Intellectuals Women's movement Financial circles
South	The Johnson Family The King Family

People Timeline

The Kennedy Family Legacy