You might have heard of John F. Kennedy, often referred to by his initials JFK, but not know a lot about him. That’s why we’ve got 10 facts about JFK to get you up to speed.
John F. Kennedy was a major figure in the development of the modern world. He was an advocate for civil rights, a passionate environmentalist, and a champion of social justice. He worked tirelessly to prevent nuclear war, and his commitment to peace is remembered to this day. Here are 10 facts about JFK that you may not know.
1. John F. Kennedy served as the 35th president of the United States.
He was elected as President in 1961, being president until 1963
2. In 1963 John F. Kennedy was assassinated.
On November 22, 1963, when he was hardly past his first one thousand days in office, JFK was killed in Dallas in the state of Texas.
3. Kennedy believed everyone should have equal rights regardless of their skin colour.
During his presidency, one of the main things he helped fight for was civil rights. This is the idea that all people should have the same basic rights regardless of the color of their skin or religion.
Kennedy wanted to pass more laws that would guarantee equal rights for all citizens.
Before Kennedy became president, a ruling called Brown v. Board was passed which meant schools weren’t allowed to choose students based on the colour of their skin. JFK supported this and even sent the military to the southern states to make sure African-American children were getting safely to school.
4. Kennedy was the first Roman Catholic President.
Kennedy was the first president to be a Roman Catholic, which is a particular branch of Christianity. Interestingly the current president, Joe Biden, is also Roman Catholic.
5. Kennedy was the youngest person to be elected as President.
The youngest person to assume the presidency was actually Theodore Roosevelt, who was 42. However the youngest to become president by election was John F. Kennedy, who was made president at age 43.
6. John F. Kennedy has an airport named after him.
John F. Kennedy International Airport, often just called JFK, is the main international airport in New York. The airport is the 13th-busiest airport in the United States.
7. He was very good at American Football.
When he was a child, Kennedy had many illnesses and almost died from scarlet fever. But despite this he grew up to be athletic and competitive, playing football for Harvard University – a very famous American University.
8. Kennedy supposedly wrote his own spy book, but he never released it.
He loved James Bond books and was said to have written his own spy novel – no one has seen it though so maybe it’s just a rumour.
9. He donated his salary to charity.
All the money JFK was given for being president he donated to charity.
10. He loved to doodle.
JFK loved to doodle, he would fill the margins of his notes with triangles, staircases and even boats. Some of his doodles have even been auctioned, which is when people bid to buy something.
Find out more…
Find some top facts about Abraham Lincoln, George Washington and Barack Obama.
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