Kennedy family

"Kennedys" redirects here. For other people named "Kennedy", see Kennedy (surname).

Kennedy
Current region	Hyannis Port, Massachusetts
Place of origin	United States and Ireland
Distinctions	Prominence in politics Family tragedies
Estate(s)	Kennedy Compound

Members of the Kennedy family at the birthday of Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. in September 1963.

The Kennedy family is an American family of Irish descent that is prominent in American politics, government, public service, and business during the mid-to-late 20th century. The first Kennedys to reside in America were Patrick Kennedy and Bridget Murphy, who sailed from Ireland to America in 1849. Their son P. J. went into politics and business. P. J. and his wife Mary Hickey were the parents of businessman and politician Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. The nine children of Joseph Sr. and Rose Fitzgerald were Joseph Jr., John, Rosemary, Kathleen, Eunice, Patricia, Robert, Jean, and Ted. John served as president, while Robert and Ted both became prominent senators. The Kennedys' political involvement has revolved around the Democratic Party. Harvard University educations have been common among them, and they have contributed heavily to that university's John F. Kennedy School of Government. The wealth and glamour of the family members, as well as their extensive and continuing involvement in public service, have elevated them to iconic status over the past half-century, with the Kennedys sometimes referred to as "America's Royal Family".

Joseph Sr. originally pinned his hopes on eldest son, Joseph Jr., to enter politics and be elected president. After Joseph Jr. was killed during World War II, however, those hopes later fell on his second son, John, to become president. Soon after John was elected in 1960, he, Robert, and Ted all held prominent positions in the federal government. They received intense publicity, often emphasizing their relative youth, allure, education, and future in politics. Between 1947 and 2011, there were 64 years with a Kennedy in elective office in Washington. This spans more than a quarter of the nation's existence.

The family has been at the center of many tragedies, which contributed to the idea of the "Kennedy curse". Rosemary was forced to undergo a lobotomy which crippled her entire life; John and Robert were both assassinated during the 1960s; Ted was involved in the Chappaquiddick incident in 1969, which caused the death of his young colleague, Mary Jo Kopechne; and Joseph Jr., Kathleen, and John Jr. all died in plane crashes.

Coat of Arms

Coat of arms of John F. Kennedy

Notes The Grant of Arms granting this Arms to all descendants of Patrick Kennedy was presented to John Fitzgerald Kennedy Sr. from the Chief Herald of Ireland on 17 March 1961, St. Patrick's Day. Adopted 17 March 1961 Crest Between two olive branches a cubit sinister arm in armour erect, the hand holding a sheaf of four arrows, points upwards, all proper Escutcheon Sable three helmets in profile Or within a bordure per saltaire Gules and Ermine Symbolism The 3 helmets on black alludes to the Arms of the O'Kennedys of Ormonde, and the red and Ermine allude the Arms of the FitzGeralds of Desmond. The olive branches and arrows symbolise America, because the olive branches and the arrows that appear in the Arms also appear in the talons of the American Eagle in the Great Seal of the United States of America.

External links

• The Kennedys: A Family Tree, St. Petersburg Times Online
• Interactive Kennedy Family Tree, Family Tree Online, a project from GiGaSoft Software GmbH
• Kennedy Family Tree, The American Experience, PBS
• Kennedy Family Tree, The New York Times
• Kennedy Family, The Political Graveyard