Details:

An extensive Kennedy family ephemera archive originating from the estate of Benjamin A. Smith II, longtime friend and Harvard roommate of President John F. Kennedy, and former United States Senator from Massachusetts. The collection includes a diverse group of Kennedy-related books, magazines, memorial publications, event programs, invitations, correspondence, postal material, fundraising pieces, and commemorative items spanning several decades of Kennedy family history.

Among the highlights is a copy of One Special Summer by Jacqueline Kennedy and Lee Bouvier bearing a secretarial inscription and signature in the name of Jacqueline Kennedy. Also included are numerous period and retrospective publications relating to John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy, and the broader Kennedy family legacy, including memorial issues of Life, People, Time, and Vanity Fair, Kennedy Library material, Kennedy Center event ephemera, and additional commemorative publications and printed matter.

The archive provides a fascinating record of the public memory and continuing cultural impact of the Kennedy family from the 1960s through the early twenty-first century. Many of the items reflect major milestones in Kennedy history, including the assassination and memorialization of President Kennedy, the legacy of Robert F. Kennedy, the work of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, and ongoing efforts to preserve and celebrate the family’s contributions to American public life.

Benjamin A. Smith II (1916–1991) was among John F. Kennedy’s closest lifelong friends. The two met while students at Harvard University and maintained a close friendship throughout Kennedy’s life and political career. Following Kennedy’s election to the presidency, Smith was appointed to fill JFK’s vacant United States Senate seat, serving as a United States Senator from Massachusetts from 1960 to 1962. Material preserved by the Smith family offers an especially compelling connection to Kennedy history and one of the president’s most trusted personal friends.

Accompanying the archive is a signed letter of provenance from Benjamin A. Smith III documenting the family’s ownership of the material and its direct descent from the estate of Senator Benjamin A. Smith II.

Good condition overall with expected handling wear, age toning, mailing folds, edge wear, and scattered imperfections.

Provenance: From the estate of Benjamin A. Smith II, Harvard roommate and lifelong friend of President John F. Kennedy, former United States Senator from Massachusetts; accompanied by a signed letter of provenance from Benjamin A. Smith III.

Authentication:
Includes a full letter of authenticity from JG Autographs, Inc.

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Reference sku: 11691 1416371-1