How The Kennedy Curse Has Tormented America’s First Family For Nearly 80 Years

Published November 14, 2020
Updated January 8, 2025

The Assassination Of John F. Kennedy

Kennedy Family Curse

Library of CongressMinutes before his death at the hands of Lee Harvey Oswald, John F. Kennedy is seen here with his wife Jacqueline and the governor and First Lady of Texas.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy is perhaps more responsible for the renown of his family name than any of his relatives.

In three short years, his was one of the most active presidencies of the 20th century, laying the groundwork for substantial civil rights and economic reforms as well as deepening worrisome U.S. involvement in conflicts in Vietnam and Cuba.

He also lit the way for the American entry into space, famously promising to put astronauts on the moon by the end of the 1960s.

President Kennedy’s visit, as well as the arrangement of his motorcade, were well-publicized before his arrival in Dallas. With advance notice, Lee Harvey Oswald was more than prepared to carry out the plan that made him infamous.

President Kennedy was also active in Democratic Party affairs, which took him to Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963, to mediate a local political dispute.

As he rode through the streets of Dallas in an open-topped convertible with his wife, Jacqueline, Texas Governor John Connally, and First Lady of Texas Nellie Connally, assassin Lee Harvey Oswald shot the young president through the head from a sixth-floor window of the Texas School Book Depository.

Just 30 minutes later, the 46-year-old president was pronounced dead, shocking the nation and the world. Mystery has surrounded the assassination ever since, with nearly 60% of Americans believing his death was the result of a conspiracy. Sadly, he would be far from the last victim of the Kennedy curse.

author
Morgan Dunn
author
Morgan Dunn is a freelance writer who holds a Bachelor's degree in fine art and art history from Goldsmiths, University of London. His areas of interest include the Soviet Union, China, and the effects of colonialism.
editor
Jaclyn Anglis
editor
Based in Brooklyn, New York, Jaclyn Anglis is the senior managing editor at All That's Interesting, where she has worked since 2019. She holds a Master's degree in journalism from the City University of New York and a dual Bachelor's degree in English writing and history from DePauw University. In a career that spans 11 years, she has also worked with the New York Daily News, Bustle, and Bauer Xcel Media. Her interests include American history, true crime, modern history, and science.
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Dunn, Morgan. "How The Kennedy Curse Has Tormented America’s First Family For Nearly 80 Years." AllThatsInteresting.com, November 14, 2020, https://allthatsinteresting.com/kennedy-curse. Accessed July 27, 2025.