John F. Kennedy
'Do You Hear What I Hear?' Conjures Images of Peace Everywhere—and Nuclear Annihilation
Composed at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the classic Christmas song contains another message—one of unity
New Plaque Tells Story of Enslaved People Who Helped Build the White House
A marker in Lafayette Square is the first public work to acknowledge these individuals' roles in constructing the presidential mansion
Why the Peace Corps’ Mission Is Needed Now More Than Ever
On its 60th anniversary, a moment of reckoning arrives for the nation's globe-trotting volunteers
The Florida Resort That Played an Unlikely Role in the Bay of Pigs Fiasco
Sixty years ago, the CIA-backed invasion of Cuba failed disastrously. It all began, here, on Useppa Island
Trove of Presidential Memorabilia, From Washington's Hair to JFK's Sweater, Is Up for Sale
RR Auction is offering a collection of nearly 300 artifacts, including a signed photo of Abraham Lincoln and a pen used by FDR
A Brief History of Presidential Memoirs
Barack Obama's new autobiography joins a long—but sometimes dull—tradition
Why Defeated Presidential Candidates Deliver Concession Speeches
The tradition dates back to 1896, when William Jennings Bryan conceded the election to William McKinley via telegram
Wreck of John F. Kennedy's World War II Patrol Boat Recovered
The future president took over command of PT-59 after his first ship, PT-109, sank in 1943
Bullets That Killed John F. Kennedy Immortalized as Digital Replicas
The originals remain at the National Archives, but new 3-D scans showcase the ballistics in vivid detail
Imagining a World Where Soviets and Americans Joined Hands on the Moon
Before he was assassinated, JFK spoke of a cooperative effort in space
Apollo at 50: We Choose to Go to the Moon
What You Didn't Know About the Apollo 11 Mission
From JFK's real motives to the Soviets' secret plot to land on the Moon at the same time, a new behind-the-scenes view of an unlikely triumph 50 years ago
How Poetry Soothed a Nation in Mourning for John F. Kennedy
First the jolt of shock, then a shroud of sadness struck the nation in the weeks following that fateful day
Why Robert Kennedy Transformed From a Conservative Into a Liberal Champion of Civil Rights
A professor of political history looks at how RFK, assassinated 50 years ago this week, was an improbable hero to the left
JFK’s Excellent Adventure: “Timeless,” Season 2, Episode 5 Recapped
We learn a lot about the once and future President, and he learns way too much about himself, in a tense twist with the past coming to the present
How the Presidency Took Control of America's Nuclear Arsenal
From Truman onwards, the ability to order a nuclear strike has shaped the office
The Story of the Sperry Top-Sider
Paul A. Sperry's innovative boat shoes were inspired by his dog
A Year Before His Presidential Debate, JFK Foresaw How TV Would Change Politics
Television's first iconic president was remarkably prescient on the subject of TV
Good History Takes Time, So Be Patient With the New JFK Documents
There are unlikely to be any bombshells, and it’ll be months or years before historians can draw conclusions from the new files
JFK Faked a Cold to Get Back to Washington During the Cuban Missile Crisis
The president was in Chicago when he got the news that he needed to make a decision
The Release of JFK Assassination Files Later This Month Has Conspiracy Theorists On the Edge of Their Seats
The material is expected to spark new interest in the 35th president's death
