1960s Timeline

Nov. 14, 1961 - President Kennedy told two little White House visitors today that they were better behaved than his own children. Sheila McGrath, 7 years old, is mentally disabled, while Kammy McGrath, 5 years old, is not. The President smiled as he took Sheila by the hand and led her toward a hobby horse in one corner of the Cabinet room. “You want to come over with me?” he asked gently. “Attagirl.” Sheila got on the hobby horse and rocked briefly. Then he reached into the p

Nov. 13, 1961 - President Kennedy received the gift of a Sacred Torah from the Union of American Hebrew Congregations in the Rose Garden of the White House today. Rabbi Maurice N. Eisendrath, who presented the 18th-century scroll to the President, said that the Torah was a “symbol of man’s divinely inspired search for a life of freedom and justice. It contains, as you well know, those teachings which undergird this nation under God.” Turning to Rabbi Eisendrath, the President

Nov. 11, 1961 - Here is video of President Kennedy’s remarks today at the Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. WATCH: #JFK #jfkfiles #jfkassassination #jfkjr #jfkinternationalairport #jfkennedy #jfkmemorial #jfklibrary #jfkpresident #jfkwashere #jfkquote #history #HistoryNerd #historyinpictures #historylover #historybuff #HistoryInTheMaking #historychannel #HistoryLesson #historygeek #historymemes #podcast #HistoryMuseum #historylovers

Nov. 11, 1961 - President Kennedy made a Veterans Day plea today for peace, but he assured the world that this country was prepared to fight again for freedom. The President placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Ceremony. Coatless and hatless, he stood in an attitude of prayer as a bugler blew taps that echoed across the Potomac Valley. Then, as the solemn military rites continued in the white marble amphitheatre, surrounded by the graves of Americ

Nov. 10, 1961 - President Kennedy will take to the road in the 1962 Congressional campaign to the exent that international problems permit. Sources close to the President said today there were two main reasons for his decision: Without a hard fight, the President feels the Democratic majority in the House of Representatives might be cut even further, or turned into a minority, with possibly disastrous effect on his legislative program and a serious impact on the 1964 Presiden

Nov. 8, 1961 - On the first anniversary of his election, President Kennedy looked back upon some of his accomplishments in office and found them good. At his news conference, he defended his 1960 campaign statements charging a deterioration of the United States’ military strength in relation to that of the Soviet Union. He also cited contributions made by his Administration to the national security. Mr. Kennedy declared that if he were running for the Presidency today, the em

Nov. 8, 1961 — President Kennedy smiled his way out of a bristling question on women’s rights at his news conference today. A woman questioner noted that the Democratic platform had promised to support equal rights for women, including equal pay. She asked: “What have you done for the women according to the promises of the platform?” “Well,” said Mr. Kennedy, “I am sure we have not done enough.” He added, when the laughter subsided, that he believed in equal pay for equal wor

Nov. 8, 1961 - Following were the highlights of President Kennedy’s news conference today: Nuclear Testing — The Soviet Union holds the dubious distinction of having created more atomic fallout than the other three nuclear powers combined. Foreign Affairs — Praises Chancellor Adenauer as a great European and says that East Germany is far more militaristic than West Germany. Politics — If recent political victories had gone to the Republicans, they would be interpreted as a st

Nov. 6, 1961 - President Kennedy and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru of India conferred today at Newport, R.I., on the problems of Southeast Asia. They then flew to Washington for the official beginning of Mr. Nehru’s 10-day visit to the U.S. At the official welcoming ceremony at Andrews Air Force base, Mr. Kennedy linked Mr. Nehru with Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Mohandas K. Gandhi as a leader whose example caused all the peoples of the world to look up to him. The P

Nov. 5, 1961 - Former President Harry S. Truman was grateful for the White House hospitality shown to him a few days ago. President Kennedy said he was appreciative, too. “It’s good to have one ex-President who will say something nice about me,” he told Mr. Truman. When Mr. Truman sat down at the piano after the White House dinner in his honor, President Kennedy remarked: “Don’t tell me there is no justice in the world. Stalin has been kicked out of Lenin’s tomb, and Presiden

Nov. 4, 1961 - President Kennedy rejected a charge by a guest at a White House luncheon (pictured) recently that much of the public considered him and his Administration “weak sisters.” The President’s response to the challenge made on Oct. 27 by E.M. Dealey, publisher of the Dallas Morning News, was reconstructed by other guests and published today by the Chattanooga Times. Mr. Dealey surprised those at the luncheon, which was given by Mr. Kennedy for Texas publishers and ed

Nov. 3, 1961 - Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy today officially opened an exhibit of 34 priceless objects found in the tomb of King Tut-ankh-Amen, the 18th dynasty Pharaoh of Egypt. He was buried in Thebes in 1344 B.C. The exhibit has been placed around a foundation in the marble rotunda of the National Gallery of Art. This is the first time the 3,300-year-old treasures have been shown outside of Egypt. Mrs. Kennedy was given a painted limestone statue of a noble of the fifth dynasty

Nov. 2, 1961 - President Kennedy told an enthusiastic rally in Trenton today that he was proud to come to New Jersey to urge the election of Richard J. Hughes as Governor. In his first campaign speech since he entered the White House, the President maintained that the Democratic nominee was “committed to the same progress for the United States” that he was. “I am delighted to join him in asking support for the things in which he believes and I believe,” the President said. “T

Nov. 2, 1961 - Former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt interviewed President Kennedy recently about the Peace Corps program. Watch: #JFK #jfkfiles #jfkassassination #jfkjr #jfkinternationalairport #jfkennedy #jfkmemorial #jfklibrary #jfkpresident #jfkwashere #jfkquote #history #HistoryNerd #historyinpictures #historylover #historybuff #HistoryInTheMaking #historychannel #HistoryLesson #historygeek #historymemes #podcast #HistoryMuseum #historylovers

Nov. 2, 1961 - President Kennedy strongly endorsed New York City Mayor Wagner (left) today for a third term. On his arrival at La Guardia Airport for an afternoon in the city, Mr. Kennedy released a statement voicing “with the utmost conviction my whole-hearted support for the re-election of Mayor Robert F. Wagner.” The President described the Mayor as a man with unmatched experience in coping with city problems, and declared it was important to the success of his own program

Nov. 2, 1961 - The old Truman Administration took over the White House last night. Surrounded by old friends and aides, former President Harry S. Truman was honored at a dinner given by President and Mrs. Kennedy. The former Margaret Truman, now Mrs. Clifton Daniel of New York, was present with her husband. Not since the last night of the Truman Administration in January, 1953, had the family spent the night at the White House. The party lasted until after 11 p.m. Mr. Truman

Nov. 1, 1961 - A White House room used by 19th-century Presidents for secret conferences is being refurbished as President Kennedy’s private meeting place. The room on the second floor of the family quarters at the head of the Grand Staircase is rich in history. Known as the Monroe Room (pictured in 1931), it was used as President Lincoln’s Cabinet room. Presidents from Lincoln’s time until Theodore Roosevelt in 1902 held their secret conferences in the salon, which was forme

Oct. 19, 1961 - Ten-month-old John F. Kennedy Jr. is now standing in his crib. Pamela Turnure, press secretary to Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy, said today that John Jr. had seven teeth, three on the bottom and four on top. He also has good lungs and a hearty appetite, she said. “He’s a very healthy baby,” she said. “He stands in the crib, and he crawls on the floor.” The White House plans to issue an official photograph of the baby on his first birthday, Nov. 25. #JFK #jfkairport

Oct. 18, 1961 - “The Task Begun” is a color film produced by the U.S. Information Service about President Kennedy’s trip to Europe this June. #JFK #jfkairport #jfkfiles #jfkassassination #jfkjr #jfkinternationalairport #jfkennedy #jfkmemorial #jfklibrary #jfkpresident #jfkwashere #jfkquote #history #HistoryNerd #historyinpictures #historylover #historybuff #HistoryInTheMaking #historychannel #HistoryLesson #historygeek #historymemes #historymade #HistoryMuseum #historylovers

Oct. 17, 1961 - President and Mrs. Kennedy tonight attended half the opening performance of the National Symphony Orchestra’s concert season. After a small private dinner at the White House for Presidential aides, Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy drove to Constitution Hall at intermission time. Sitting in the Presidential box, they listened to the orchestra perform Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony, one of Mr. Kennedy’s favorite classics. The director of the National Symphony, Howard Mitchell