Kennedy was the 35th president of the United States who led the nation through the Cuban Missile Crisis and was assassinated in Dallas on November 22, 1963.

John F. Kennedy, born May 29, 1917, was the 35th president of the United States and the youngest person elected to the office at 43 years old. He served from 1961 until his assassination in 1963, leading the nation through the height of the Cold War. Kennedy was known for his charisma and communication skills, establishing the Peace Corps, signing the first nuclear test ban treaty, advancing civil rights, and launching the Apollo space program with the goal of landing a man on the Moon. He was assassinated in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963, leaving a legacy as one of America's most iconic presidents.

Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917 in Brookline, Massachusetts into the wealthy and politically influential Kennedy family. He graduated from Harvard University in 1940, where his senior thesis became the book Why England Slept. During World War II, he commanded PT boat 109 in the Pacific theater; when the boat was rammed and sunk by a Japanese destroyer in August 1943, he rescued his crew and became a war hero, earning the Navy and Marine Corps Medal. After the war, he entered politics and served in the House of Representatives from 1947 to 1953, then in the Senate until 1960, winning the Pulitzer Prize in 1957 for his book Profiles in Courage.

Kennedy married Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in 1953, and they had four children, including Caroline and John Jr. He concealed serious health problems throughout his life, including Addison's disease and chronic back pain from his war injuries. He maintained close relationships with his siblings, particularly his brother Robert Kennedy, who served as Attorney General in his administration. The Kennedy White House became known as Camelot, a term that captured the glamour and optimism of his presidency.