Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis remains one of the most recognizable figures in American history. Her image, frozen in time by the blood-stained pink Chanel suit she wore on November 22, 1963, became the face of a nation in shock. But the life she lived after that day in Dallas was long, complex, and filled with as much controversy as the years she spent in the White House.
Born Jacqueline Lee Bouvier on July 28, 1929, in Southampton, New York, she was the eldest daughter of Wall Street stockbroker John Vernou Bouvier III and socialite Janet Norton Lee. Her father favored her over her younger sister, Lee, often calling her the most beautiful daughter a man ever had. Her parents' marriage was strained by her father's alcoholism and infidelity, and the couple divorced in 1940 when Jackie was just 11 years old.
Her mother remarried Hugh D. Auchincloss, a very wealthy man with a vast mansion in Newport. The marriage provided Jackie with a privileged upbringing and access to high society. She attended the Holton-Arms School in Washington and later Miss Porter's School in Farmington, Connecticut, where she was praised for her wit and her skills as a horsewoman. After graduating, she made her debut in New York social circles and was named Debutante of the Year by a Hearst columnist.
Jackie studied at George Washington University, earning a BA in French literature in 1951. She won a 12-month junior editorship at Vogue magazine but left after just one day when an editor advised her to return to Washington, concerned that at 22, she was too old to be unmarried in her social circle. She then worked as a photographer and reporter for the Washington Times-Herald.
In May 1952, Jackie was introduced to U.S. Representative John F. Kennedy at a dinner party. She was drawn to his charm, intelligence, and fortune. They shared a Catholic faith, a love of reading, and an interest in international travel. Kennedy was campaigning for a Massachusetts Senate seat, and their relationship blossomed quickly. By November, he had proposed, and their engagement was announced in June 1953.
The wedding took place on September 12, 1953, at St. Mary's Church in Newport, Rhode Island. Approximately 1,200 guests attended the reception at Hammersmith Farm. Kennedy's father, Joseph Kennedy Sr., was heavily involved in the planning, pressuring Jackie to wear a traditional gown rather than the French fashions she preferred. She reluctantly agreed, though she later confessed to a friend that she felt like a lampshade in the dress.
The marriage was not without its difficulties. Kennedy had a reputation as a womanizer, and he continued to see other women during their courtship and marriage. Jackie was warned about his behavior, but she went through with the wedding anyway. The couple experienced a miscarriage in 1955 and a stillborn daughter, Arabella, in 1956. Their daughter Caroline was born in 1957, and their son John Jr. was born in 1960.
As first lady, Jackie became a global fashion icon. She preferred French couture but was aware that she was expected to wear American designers. She worked with Oleg Cassini to create her wardrobe. Her style was heavily imitated by young women across the country, and she was named to the International Best Dressed Hall of Fame in 1965.
She was also deeply committed to the restoration of the White House. She inventoried its artwork and furnishings and worked to acquire period pieces for the rooms. At the conclusion of the renovation, she guided Americans on a televised tour of the White House, which millions watched. She also wrote the first historical guidebook to the White House, which raised millions of dollars for the new White House Historical Association.
Jackie was a private person who carefully curated her public image. Her whispery voice was something of an affectation, according to those who knew her. In private, she spoke in a resonant alto. She smoked Newport cigarettes but never allowed anyone to take a picture of her doing so. She was also known for her strict diet, which consisted of boiled eggs, Hollywood toast with honey, tea, and skim milk.
Her interest in the supernatural was not widely publicized during her lifetime. She reportedly practiced divination methods, including using magic rune stones and consulting the I Ching. She also claimed to feel a strong connection with the ghost of Abraham Lincoln in the White House, saying she felt his comforting presence whenever she sat in the Lincoln bedroom.
Kennedy's presidency was marked by his infidelity. Rumors of affairs persisted throughout their marriage. One of the most well-known relationships was with Marilyn Monroe. There were also reports of White House interns and secretaries who were involved with the president. Jackie was reportedly aware of his behavior, and some sources suggest that Joseph Kennedy Sr. offered her money to tolerate it.
The assassination of President Kennedy on November 22, 1963, changed everything. Jackie was sitting next to him in the backseat of the limousine when he was shot. She refused to change out of her blood-stained suit, saying she wanted them to see what they had done. That evening, she stood by as Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as president.
Jackie took control of the funeral arrangements, patterning them after the funeral of Abraham Lincoln. The casket was carried on the same carriage that had transported Lincoln's remains. She spoke to Theodore White about the assassination, describing the beauty of her husband's skull. Her carefully edited article appeared in Life magazine and laid the foundations of the Kennedy myth, comparing his presidency to the magical kingdom of Camelot.
In the years after JFK's death, Jackie reportedly became involved with her brother-in-law, Robert F. Kennedy. Biographer Christopher Anderson claimed that the two were lovers by the winter of 1964, and that the affair lasted three years. Kennedy experts denied the allegations, calling them a new low.
When Robert Kennedy was shot in June 1968, Jackie was terrified. She said they were killing Kennedys in America. Fearing for her children's safety, she sought a new life. In October 1968, she married Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis on the island of Scorpios.
The marriage was controversial. Onassis had previously been in a relationship with Jackie's sister, Lee, which strained their relationship further. The American public viewed the marriage as a betrayal of JFK, and Jackie's popularity declined sharply. Onassis reportedly called her a witch over time, and his family blamed her for the Kennedy curse spreading to their own family.
Onassis's son, Alexander, died in a plane crash in 1973. His daughter Christina blamed Jackie, saying the curse had spread to the Onassis family. Onassis himself became depressed and his health declined. He died of lung disease in 1975. Jackie battled his daughter in court and received a settlement of 26 million dollars.
After Onassis's death, Jackie returned to New York City. She worked as an editor for Viking Press and Doubleday, cared for her children and grandchildren, and volunteered. She fell in love with diamond merchant Maurice Tempelsman, and the couple stayed together for the rest of her life. They never married because Tempelsman's wife refused to go through with a divorce.
In 1993, Jackie was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. After briefly going into remission, she passed away at the age of 64 in 1994. Her death marked the end of an era, but the myths and controversies surrounding her life have never faded. From her carefully crafted image to the rumors of affairs and curses, Jackie Kennedy Onassis remains a figure of fascination and mystery.