JFK Library
The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is south of Boston, next to the University of Massachusetts, on a high point overlooking Dorchester Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. The boxy glass and concrete building was designed by I. M. Pei and opened in 1979.
I was in Boston with my college friends Hope and Karen for a girlfriends’ getaway. Karen had recently visited the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library in Austin. When she suggested the JFK Library, Hope and I enthusiastically agreed. I can’t think of any other attraction in Boston that would have been new to all of us.
The JFK Library is “dedicated to the memory of our nation's thirty-fifth president and to all those who through the art of politics seek a new and better world.” The museum had nicely curated exhibits of memorabilia, along with a couple of short films. We retraced Kennedy’s childhood, college days, and career in the Navy; followed the growth of his political career; and learned about key events from his presidency. This is the president who wrote a Pulitzer Prize-winning book, founded the Peace Corps, issued the challenge that launched the space race, ended the Cuban Missile Crisis and averted a nuclear war, and created the bill that became the Civil Rights Act.
There were wonderful photos and mementos from state dinners and state visits, interesting gifts from heads of state, and an exhibit on First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy’s restoration of the White House.
The last part of the museum focused on Kennedy’s legacy, which has reached all corners of the globe. It was inspiring to spend a couple of hours learning about this extraordinary person who led the country through a turbulent time in history.
