A 1p typed letter signed by then U.S. Congressman from Massachusetts John F. Kennedy (1917-1963), as "John Kennedy" at lower right above his typed signature. July 6, 1951. Boston, Massachusetts. On customized "John F. Kennedy / 11th Dist., Massachusetts / Congress of the United States / House of Representatives / Washington, D.C." letterhead. Expected wear including flattened transmittal folds and even toning. Two minor closed tears located at the top edge and to the left of Kennedy's signature, not affecting any signature or text and easily repaired. Isolated mounting traces verso. Else near fine. 6.25" x 9." Accompanied by a Letter of Authenticity from PSA/DNA Authentication Services, certification number AA06382, dated June 15, 2016.

Congressman Kennedy wrote this letter to a fellow Bay Stater from South Hadley Falls, Massachusetts while on one of his many weekend trips to Massachusetts. (July 6, 1951 was a Friday, and Kennedy generally spent his weekends in Massachusetts.) Kennedy wrote Fred Benson in part, "It was nice meeting and talking with you while I was in Springfield. I hope to see you again in the near future."

John F. Kennedy had been elected to his first political office in 1946, when he became the U.S. Congressman representing the 11th district of Massachusetts. (The 11th comprised parts of Boston, Cambridge, and Sommerville in 1946; the district is defunct today.) Kennedy proved to be extremely proactive and industrious throughout his six-year-long tenure as U.S. Congressman, from 1947-1953. While his colleagues at the U.S. House of Representatives typically journeyed home to their constituency every 4 to 6 weeks, Kennedy flew back to Massachusetts nearly every week, such as the weekend beginning July 7, 1951.

This face time was a critical component of Kennedy's state barn-storming initiative in advance of his next big political push, the bid for U.S. Senate in 1952. Kennedy used the time between Thursday and Sunday nights in Massachusetts to take advantage of a variety of public speaking engagements. A perusal of John F. Kennedy's speeches as catalogued by the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum from the period February 1947 to April 1951, for example, indicates that JFK spoke to Catholic organizations, Hebrew school students, radio listeners, and college faculty regarding taxes, healthcare, labor issues, Italian-American heritage, education, and shipping in no fewer than 10 cities: Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Revere, Salem, West Harwich, Lowell, Hull, Charlestown, Watertown, and Malden, Massachusetts. His self-imposed goal of speaking in every Massachusetts town prior to the U.S. Senate race increased his chances of being elected. Kennedy kept a detailed list of individuals who he had met on weekend trips such as these, and Fred Benson was probably one of them.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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