JFK Library Foundation
@jfklibraryfdn.bsky.social
Dedicated to the legacy of our nation's 35th president. We are the non-profit partner and creative collaborator of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, administered by the National Archives and Records Administration.
Now that it’s fall, we’re thinking about sweater weather! President and Mrs. Kennedy and guests at the America’s Cup Race are giving us lots of inspiration for the cooler temps. More looks: https://www.jfklibrary.org/asset-viewer/archives/jfkwhp-1962-09-22-a#?image_identifier=JFKWHP-KN-C24096
In 1963, JFK outlined a "strategy of peace" in his commencement address at American University, which included a nuclear test ban treaty. Watch the full address: https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/historic-speeches/american-university-commencement-address #InternationalDayofPeace
The American Constitution was signed #otd on September 17, 1787 in Philadelphia. 175 years later, JFK spoke to a group of students about how the Constitution was written in different conditions in which they lived now, and how it was important for people to work to make the Constitution work.
¡Feliz Día de la Independencia, México! In 1962, President and Mrs. Kennedy made a state visit to Mexico, where an estimated 1.5 million people welcomed them to the country. #HispanicHeritageMonth
On September 15, 1963, members of the Ku Klux Klan planted dynamite at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL, injuring 22 and killing four Black children. In the days that followed, thousands wrote to JFK with their reactions. A selection of their letters: https://bit.ly/4xQ8pd3
Public Opinion in the JFK Library Archives: The 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing
by Dana Bronson and Stacey Chandler, Archives Reference On the morning of September 15, 1963, four members of the Ku Klux Klan planted over a dozen sticks of dynamite under the front steps of the...
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What a way to celebrate Latino Heritage Month! This weekend, the Library came alive with live music, dancing, and hands-on activities inspired by Latin American cultures, including a special performance with Veronica Robles! The fun continues on November 27 with another free Celebrate! program.
#OTD on September 12, 1962, President Kennedy spoke at Rice University in Houston about the nation’s space program: “We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” JFK and the space race: jfklibrary.org/spaceprogram
This week, the JFK Presidential Library’s glass pavilion shines in ‘Memorial Blue’ to mark the 25th Anniversary of 9/11. Organized by the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, the worldwide commemoration invites landmarks to light their buildings blue in remembrance of September 11, 2001.
In 2002, the JFK Library Foundation presented a Profile in Courage Award for Public Service to the thousands of public servants who demonstrated extraordinary courage and heroism in response to the tragic events of September 11, 2001. jfklibrary.org/ProfileInCourageAwardForPublicService
Mark your calendars! We’ve got special programs to celebrate our temporary exhibit Declaring the Revolution: America's Printed Path to Independence. Advanced registration is required. See our full calendar and purchase tickets at jfklibrary.org/calendar.
“You can stand out on your own. And it's sometimes it’s very hard to do, but you'll probably be glad you did it later.” At a JFK Library Forum, Sen. Mark Kelly reflected on the importance of choosing courage, even when doing so isn’t easy. Watch the full forum: https://youtube.com/live/oWP2iY35zso
Happy 60th anniversary, Star Trek! Leonard Nimoy, who played the original Spock, wrote to JFK in 1962 urging him not to use nuclear weapons. #StarTrekDay
"In commemorating the role of labor, we honor the most essential traditions in American life." #LaborDay https://www.jfklibrary.org/asset-viewer/archives/jfkwhp-1961-08-04-a#?image_identifier=JFKWHP-KN-C18551
JFK once said that “I’d rather read a book on a plane than talk to the fellow next to me.” Be like JFK and go read something on #ReadABookDay!
We hope you're having a relaxing Labor Day weekend, wherever you are. In 1963, President and Mrs. Kennedy spent the long weekend on the water with family and friends. https://www.jfklibrary.org/asset-viewer/archives/jfkwhp-1963-09-01-a#?image_identifier=JFKWHP-ST-C283-40-63
Due to an unexpected power outage, the JFK Library and Museum is closed on Friday, September 4, 2026. Email Kennedy.GroupVisits@nara.gov for ticket refunds.
We’re ending our #BackToSchool week with a tribute to the people who make education possible: teachers! Throughout his presidency, JFK spoke about the importance of educators in a democratic society and welcomed teachers to the White House.
Remembering the life and legacy of Gloria Steinem, a lifelong activist for women’s rights, civil rights, and economic justice. In 2008, she spoke at a #JFKForum about the role of the public intellectual in social movements. www.jfklibrary.org/events-and-a...
When your school is in the White House, you not only learn your ABCs but get to meet pardoned turkeys! Caroline Kennedy and children of Kennedy admin officials went to a school in the White House set up by Jacqueline Kennedy. #BackToSchool jfklibrary.org/asset-viewer/archives/jfkwhp-1962-06-06-d
A short and sweet #JFKSaid for our #BackToSchool week! This quote comes from his 1963 State of the Union Address, where he discussed how an investment in the country's youth could strengthen the United States.
It's Primary Day in Massachusetts! JFK voted in the 1946 Massachusetts Democratic primary, where he was a candidate, alongside his grandparents 'Honey Fitz' & Mary Fitzgerald. #mapoli
Write about political courage. Win $10,000 for your future! The JFK Profile in Courage Essay Contest is now open. High school students write about an elected official and a courageous act they made while in office–and why it mattered. Learn more and enter: www.jfklibrary.org/essaycontest
Ah back to school season - an exciting time for some, and a time for dread for others. Can you read a young JFK’s handwriting to see how he felt about heading into his senior year of high school? https://www.jfklibrary.org/asset-viewer/archives/kfc-053-001#?image_identifier=KFC-053-001-p0033
"America's health, morale, and culture have long benefited from our National Parks and Forests." - #JFKSaid, February 1961 Happy anniversary to the National Park Service, established #otd on August 25, 1916! JFK’s relationship with the National Park Service: jfk.blogs.archives.gov/2021/04/17/j...
It might just be our favorite ‘holiday’ today: #NationalWaffleDay! When asked to provide a favorite recipe for fundraising cookbooks or articles, JFK would send along this recipe for waffles. https://www.jfklibrary.org/asset-viewer/archives/jfkpof-130-013#?image_identifier=JFKPOF-130-013-p0029
Join Sen. Mark Kelly and author Rye Barcott for a conversation about service, leadership, and working across divides to strengthen American democracy. Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/courage-can-save-us-ten-extraordinary-americans-the-fight-for-our-future-tickets-1997699558155?aff=BlueSky
To celebrate #America250, the JFK Library joined a skyline of tributes across Boston in red, white, & blue. Commemorate this occasion with a print of this historical moment. store.jfklibrary.org/products/jfk-library-building-poster Purchases help support educational programming at the JFK Library.
NPR's Tamara Keith reflects on how peaceful assembly and protest have moved us toward “a more equal society” and closer to the ideals imagined by the nation’s founders. Listen: https://www.jfklibrary.org/about-us/social-media-podcasts-and-apps/jfk35-podcast/the-first-amendment-with-tamara-keith
Science fiction writer Ray Bradbury was born #otd on August 22, 1920. In 1962, a slew of his books arrived at the White House – a gift from Bradbury himself for JFK and Mrs. Kennedy. Read about what he sent: https://jfk.blogs.archives.gov/2017/08/22/the-most-interesting-writer-about-the-future/
