Character Catalog

A book written by Kennedy about American senators who demonstrated political courage in the face of public opinion. It earned him the Pulitzer Prize in 1957 and strengthened his intellectual credibility ahead of his presidential campaign.

An economic and social aid program for Latin American countries launched to counter the influence of Castrist communism. It aimed to fund development, education, and agrarian reform throughout the region.

An organization created by executive order to send American volunteers to assist with development in third-world countries. Still active today, the Peace Corps embodies the ideal of service and citizen diplomacy championed by Kennedy.

Kennedy set the goal of sending a man to the Moon before the end of the decade as part of the Space Race against the USSR. Although he did not live to see Neil Armstrong land on the Moon in 1969, his political impetus proved decisive.

Signed by the United States, the USSR, and the United Kingdom, this landmark treaty banned nuclear testing in the atmosphere, underwater, and in outer space. It marked the first concrete step toward nuclear disarmament of the Cold War era.

Kennedy submitted ambitious legislation to Congress prohibiting racial segregation in public places and employment discrimination. Passed after his death under Johnson, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 brought this commitment to fruition.

Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.

It shall be the policy of this Nation to regard any nuclear missile launched from Cuba against any nation in the Western Hemisphere as an attack by the Soviet Union on the United States, requiring a full retaliatory response upon the Soviet Union.

Let us talk about peace. What kind of peace do we seek? […] A peace for all men and all time, not merely peace in our time, not merely peace for Americans, but peace for all men and all time.

Race has no place at a starting line, in a classroom, in a voting booth, in a dormitory, or in a courtroom. […] Equal treatment of all our citizens must be the goal of our society.

There are many people in the world who really don't understand, or say they don't, what is the great issue between the free world and the Communist world. Let them come to Berlin. […] Ich bin ein Berliner.

Heart of American executive power, this is where Kennedy led the United States from January 1961 to November 1963, notably during the major diplomatic crises of the Cold War.

Site of the failed April 1961 landing organized by the CIA with anti-Castro Cuban exiles; this defeat had a lasting impact on Kennedy's foreign policy toward Cuba and Latin America.

In front of this city hall, Kennedy delivered his famous 'Ich bin ein Berliner' speech on June 26, 1963, affirming American solidarity in the face of the Soviet threat and the Berlin Wall.

Historic square where the presidential motorcade was ambushed on November 22, 1963; Kennedy's assassination there caused a profound national and worldwide trauma.

Kennedy's burial site since November 25, 1963, marked by an eternal flame. This site has become a place of remembrance and pilgrimage visited by millions of people each year.

Kennedy suffered from severe back pain and used a specially designed rocking chair daily to relieve it. This rocking chair became one of the visual symbols of his presidency, present in the Oval Office as well as his residences.

Established after the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1963, the red telephone allowed direct and rapid communication between the American president and the Soviet leader to prevent any nuclear misunderstanding. Its creation is directly linked to the lessons learned from the thirteen days of crisis.

During World War II, Kennedy commanded the torpedo boat PT-109, which was rammed and sunk by a Japanese destroyer in 1943. His bravery in rescuing his men made him a war hero and helped shape his public image.

Kennedy worked carefully on his speeches, annotating and correcting texts prepared by his speechwriters such as Ted Sorensen. These manuscripts bear witness to a president who was mindful of linguistic precision and the rhetorical impact of his public addresses.

This black convertible limousine was Kennedy's official vehicle for public travel. It was in this car that he was assassinated in Dallas on November 22, 1963, making the automobile a symbol of the national tragedy.

A great aficionado of Cuban cigars, Kennedy had a personal stockpile of 1,200 cigars assembled on the very eve of signing the trade embargo against Cuba in 1962, an anecdote that illustrates the complexity of his political positions.