Collections of the Presidential Library : Ernest Hemingway Collection

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum collects, preserves, and makes available primary-source materials, in all formats, on the life and times of John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States. The Library's holdings include the papers of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, Joseph P. Kennedy, and Rose Kennedy, as well as close to 400 other collections: those of Kennedy family members, Kennedy administration officials and associates, and pertinent individuals, authors, and institutions. The John F. Kennedy Library also houses the Ernest Hemingway Collection and the John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy Oral History Collections.

Ernest Hemingway Collection

The Ernest Hemingway Collection pursuing study of Hemingway and his writing. The Hemingway Research Room's primary mission is to serve researchers, then educational groups and the public in general. The room isn't open for general interest or browsing, rather, for researchers who require the use of the Library's unique manuscript, audiovisual, and documentary holdings related to Ernest Hemingway.

While Ernest Hemingway and President Kennedy never met, President Kennedy more than once expressed his admiration for Hemingway and his work. In the opening sentence of his own Pulitzer Prize winning book, "Profiles in Courage", Kennedy cited Hemingway’s description of courage, writing that, “This is a book about the most admirable of human virtues — courage. ‘Grace under pressure,’ Ernest Hemingway defined it.” 

Collections of the Presidential Library : Museum Artifacts

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum collects, preserves, and makes available primary-source materials, in all formats, pertaining to the life and times of John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States. The Library's holdings include the papers of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, Joseph P. Kennedy, and Rose Kennedy, as well as close to 400 other collections: those of Kennedy family members, Kennedy administration officials and associates, and pertinent individuals, authors, and institutions. The John F. Kennedy Library also houses the Ernest Hemingway Collection and the John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy Oral History Collections.

Museum Artifacts

 

The Museum Collection comprises close to 20,000 three-dimensional objects and works of art related to the life, career, and legacy of President John F. Kennedy.  Among the Museum's holdings are state gifts presented to President Kennedy by world leaders – including an Egyptian funerary statue from 2500 B.C. and a gem-encrusted sword and scabbard from Morocco – as well as unique and handmade gifts from private citizens.

The Museum Collection also contains the personal memorabilia of President Kennedy, including his private collections of scrimshaw and ship models, and items associated with his military and political careers, and presidency. One object of note is a plastic-encased coconut shell dating from the President’s World War II military service, which was displayed prominently on his desk in the White House Oval Office.

Collections of the Presidential Library : Books & Other Printed Materials

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum collects, preserves, and makes available primary-source materials, in all formats, pertaining to the life and times of John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States. The Library's holdings include the papers of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, Joseph P. Kennedy, and Rose Kennedy, as well as close to 400 other collections: those of Kennedy family members, Kennedy administration officials and associates, and pertinent individuals, authors, and institutions. The John F. Kennedy Library also houses the Ernest Hemingway Collection and the John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy Oral History Collections.

Books & Other Printed Materials

The Printed Materials Collection is a special library of published and unpublished literature that centers primarily on the life, work, and times of John F. Kennedy. The collection comprises books, doctoral dissertations, conference papers, government publications, periodicals, micro-forms, graduate and undergraduate theses, student papers, and clippings. It is intended to serve as a rich if not definitive body of Kennedy-related secondary literature. Materials are available on-site to all interested researchers.

Collections of the Presidential Library : Audiovisual Collections

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum collects, preserves, and makes available primary-source materials, in all formats, pertaining to the life and times of John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States. The Library's holdings include the papers of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, Joseph P. Kennedy, and Rose Kennedy, as well as close to 400 other collections: those of Kennedy family members, Kennedy administration officials and associates, and pertinent individuals, authors, and institutions. The John F. Kennedy Library also houses the Ernest Hemingway Collection and the John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy Oral History Collections.

Audiovisual Collections

Progress on the building began shortly after the death of JFK. On 13 January 1964, the then Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy announced that a taped oral-history project was to be undertaken for inclusion in the library. The project would feature his Administration staff, friends, family and politicians from home and abroad.

Collections of the Presidential Library : Oral History Program

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum collects, preserves, and makes available primary-source materials, in all formats, pertaining to the life and times of John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States. The Library's holdings include the papers of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, Joseph P. Kennedy, and Rose Kennedy, as well as close to 400 other collections: those of Kennedy family members, Kennedy administration officials and associates, and pertinent individuals, authors, and institutions. The John F. Kennedy Library also houses the Ernest Hemingway Collection and the John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy Oral History Collections.

Oral History Program

The Oral History Program is one of the oldest continuing activities of the John F. Kennedy Library; its goal is to collect, preserve, and make available interviews conducted with individuals who were in some way associated with John F. Kennedy and his legacy. The collection comprises

Collections of the Presidential Library : Textual Collections

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum collects, preserves, and makes available primary-source materials, in all formats, pertaining to the life and times of John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States. The Library's holdings include the papers of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, Joseph P. Kennedy, and Rose Kennedy, as well as close to 400 other collections: those of Kennedy family members, Kennedy administration officials and associates, and pertinent individuals, authors, and institutions. The John F. Kennedy Library also houses the Ernest Hemingway Collection and the John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy Oral History Collections. 

Textual Collections  

The Library's textual collections originate from various sources, namely government agencies, government employees, and private citizens. These materials are available to anyone interested in studying the life, administration, and legacy of John F. Kennedy. The best-used collections comprise John F. Kennedy's presidential records, particularly  the President's Office Files and the National Security Files. In addition, the Library holds approximately 400 collections of personal papers and White House staff files that document the activities and careers of Kennedy administration officials and staff, as well as Kennedy family members, friends, associates, and contemporaries.

"50 years after JFK"

50 years after the dead to JFK, everybody is always excited. For this occasion, Caroline Kennedy was interviewed about a part of the collections of the Presidential Library. Here is her speech during the prestigious John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award™ in 2012:

What’s the JFK Presidential Library and museum ?

During a weekend visit to Boston on October 19, 1963, President Kennedy, along with John Carl Warnecke viewed several locations offered by Harvard as a site for the library and museum. At the time there were only four other Presidential Libraries: the Hoover Presidential Library, the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, the Truman Library, and the Dwight D. Eisenhower Library.   Kennedy had not decided on any design concept yet, but he felt that the existing Presidential Libraries were placed too far “away from scholarly resources.” 

 

After President Kennedy was assassinated in November 1963, his family and friends discussed how to construct a library that would serve as a fitting memorial. A committee was formed to advise Kennedy's widow Jaqueline, who would make the final decision.  Also by this time fourteen architects were named to serve on a design advisory committee.