JFK ASKS MOTHER TO CLEAR PIC REQUESTS TO FOREIGN LEADERS
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On this day that we honor all our mothers, we recall the time when President John F. Kennedy wrote a letter to his mother Rose* concerning letters she had been sending, without his knowledge, to foreign heads of state.
Mrs. Kennedy wanted to get photographs signed by leaders such as Nikita Khrushchev of the Soviet Union. When she received the picture back signed, she mailed it to her son, the POTUS, to get his signature on it. That's apparently how he learned what was going on.
On November 3, 1962, the President sent a typewritten letter to Rose along with the signed photo. The letter read...
"Dear Mother,
Would you be sure to let me know in the future any contacts you have with heads of state concerning requests for pictures, signatures, etc. Requests of this nature are subject to interpretations and, therefore, I would like to have you clear them before they are sent.
Love, Jack"
Rose sent a letter in reply to her son, Jack, dated November 10, 1962. It read...
"I can see that it was probably an error, and it will not happen again. When I ask for (Fidel) Castro's autograph, I shall let you know in advance."
In 1987, in celebration of his grandmother's 97th birthday, Rep. Joseph Kennedy II said that she was "the magnet that always pulled us together as a family." RK died at the age of 104 on January 22, 1995.
SOURCES
"Archivally Speaking: An Inside Look at the John F. Kennedy Library Archives," www.activeblog.jfklibrary.org/
"John F. Kennedy once asked his mom to stop contacting world leaders without telling him," by Chris Tognotti, May 14, 2017, www.dailydot.com/
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On this day that we honor all our mothers, we recall the time when President John F. Kennedy wrote a letter to his mother Rose* concerning letters she had been sending, without his knowledge, to foreign heads of state.
Mrs. Kennedy wanted to get photographs signed by leaders such as Nikita Khrushchev of the Soviet Union. When she received the picture back signed, she mailed it to her son, the POTUS, to get his signature on it. That's apparently how he learned what was going on.
On November 3, 1962, the President sent a typewritten letter to Rose along with the signed photo. The letter read...
"Dear Mother,
Would you be sure to let me know in the future any contacts you have with heads of state concerning requests for pictures, signatures, etc. Requests of this nature are subject to interpretations and, therefore, I would like to have you clear them before they are sent.
Love, Jack"
Rose sent a letter in reply to her son, Jack, dated November 10, 1962. It read...
"I can see that it was probably an error, and it will not happen again. When I ask for (Fidel) Castro's autograph, I shall let you know in advance."
*Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy (1890-1995) was born in Boston, the eldest child of John and Mary Fitzgerald. She married Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. on Oct 7, 1914.
The Kennedys had 9 children.
SOURCES
"Archivally Speaking: An Inside Look at the John F. Kennedy Library Archives," www.activeblog.jfklibrary.org/
"John F. Kennedy once asked his mom to stop contacting world leaders without telling him," by Chris Tognotti, May 14, 2017, www.dailydot.com/
White House Letter of
November 3, 1962
JFK Library Document
