Nepedia
Back to Discover
Fluent Reader
📖

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

society Maturity 7-9 death dying Next article →

This article covers sensitive topics: death_dying. Parents can manage visibility in Parental Controls.

Jacqueline Lee Bouvier was a famous woman in American history.

Jacqueline Bouvier by David Berne, 1935
Jacqueline Bouvier by David Berne, 1935

She was born on July 28, 1929, in Southampton, New York. Her father was a stockbroker named John Vernou "Black Jack" Bouvier III. Her mother was named Janet Norton Lee. Jacqueline grew up in Manhattan and at a country estate in East Hampton. She was a very bright and artistic student. She also loved to ride horses and study foreign languages.

Jacqueline Kennedy at the Taj Mahal, 15 March 1962
Jacqueline Kennedy at the Taj Mahal, 15 March 1962

As a young woman, Jacqueline worked very hard on her studies. She went to Vassar College in New York. Later, she graduated from George Washington University in 1951. She earned a degree in French literature. Jacqueline also had an interesting early career. She once had a job at Vogue magazine. She only worked there for one day. After that, she worked for the Washington Times-Herald. She was an "Inquiring Camera Girl." This meant she asked people questions on the street. She also took their pictures for the newspaper.

In May 1952, Jacqueline met John F. Kennedy at a dinner party. He was a congressman from Massachusetts at the time. They shared many interests like reading and history. The couple married on September 12, 1953, in Newport, Rhode Island.

Toni Frissell, John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier on their wedding day, 1953
Toni Frissell, John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier on their wedding day, 1953

They had four children together. After John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960, Jackie became the First Lady. She used her position to help the country in new ways. She focused on arts, culture, and history.

As First Lady, Jacqueline changed how people saw the White House. She led a big project to restore the historic building. She also hosted many cultural events for important guests. People around the world noticed her unique fashion style. In 1962, Time magazine named her Woman of the Year.

White House Dinner in honor of President of Tunisia. President Habib Bourguiba, Mrs. Bourguiba, Mrs. Kennedy... - NARA - 194199
White House Dinner in honor of President of Tunisia. President Habib Bourguiba, Mrs. Bourguiba, Mrs. Kennedy... - NARA - 194199

She traveled to many different countries. Her ability to speak other languages made her very popular abroad. She was a very recognizable leader during the 1960s.

In 1963, her husband was killed. This was a very difficult time for her family. Jackie and her children stayed away from the public for a while. In 1968, she married a Greek man named Aristotle Onassis. After he died in 1975, she moved to New York City. She started a new career as a book editor. She worked for Viking Press and then Doubleday. Jacqueline died in 1994. She is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

OnassisGrave
OnassisGrave

People still admire her many achievements today.

395 words

Where will your curiosity go next?

Keep exploring at your chosen reading level.

🖼️ Images & Media (20)
File:Jacqueline Bouvier by David Berne, 1935.jpg
Jacqueline Bouvier by David Berne, 1935.jpg
File:Toni Frissell, John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier on their wedding day, 1953.jpg
Toni Frissell, John F. Kennedy and...
File:John F. Kennedy after spinal surgery cph.3c33052.jpg
John F. Kennedy after spinal surgery...
File:KennedysElectionDayBoston.png
KennedysElectionDayBoston.png
File:JBKJFKMalraux.jpg
JBKJFKMalraux.jpg
File:White House Dinner in honor of President of Tunisia. President Habib Bourguiba, Mrs. Bourguiba, Mrs. Kennedy... - NARA - 194199.jpg
White House Dinner in honor of President...
File:Charles Collingwood murrow27s boys.jpg
Charles Collingwood murrow27s boys.jpg
File:1962 White House Christmas Tree - John and Jacqueline Kennedy 1.jpg
1962 White House Christmas Tree - John...
File:Jacqueline Kennedy at Vijay Chowk, New Delhi.jpg
Jacqueline Kennedy at Vijay Chowk, New Delhi.jpg
File:Jacqueline Kennedy at the Taj Mahal, 15 March 1962.jpg
Jacqueline Kennedy at the Taj Mahal, 15...
File:John F. Kennedy motorcade, Dallas crop.png
John F. Kennedy motorcade, Dallas crop.png
File:Lyndon B. Johnson taking the oath of office, November 1963.jpg
Lyndon B. Johnson taking the oath of...

+ 8 more

More to explore

🔬 Go deeper

More advanced topics to explore

🪜 Step back

Simpler topics to build understanding

What is Nepedia?

A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.