By Katie Roxberry, M.A. ‘24, Museum Studies
In many ways, the Kennedys celebrated the arts while in Washington. By hosting performances, supporting special art exhibitions, and protecting the city’s historical architecture, John, and especially Jackie, Kennedy foregrounded the cultural arts. The couple’s commitment to performers, artisans and artists culminated in their campaign for a national cultural arts center, now named for the 35th president.
Although the Kennedy administration collectively receives credit for championing the arts, it was Jackie Kennedy who often orchestrated events and established new traditions. She worked with French Minister of Culture André Malraux to have the Mona Lisa loaned to the National Gallery of Art in January 1963. As hostess, the first lady began the tradition of following White House dinners with performances. The Joffrey Ballet, the American Shakespeare Theatre and, most notably, Spanish-born cellist Pablo Casals were some of the first to perform after state dinners. Casals, who had last played in the United States for President Theodore Roosevelt in 1904, broke his vow not to perform in a country that recognized the fascist Spanish government when he accepted Jackie Kennedy’s 1961 invitation.
Her support of the arts didn’t stop there, yet in the Albert H. Small Washingtoniana Collection, a postcard featuring the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts notably omits Jackie’s role in its creation. The back of the card attributes the center as a memorial to JFK, and gives credit to donors and foreign nations for their involvement in making the national cultural center a reality. But the first lady, who had coordinated performances of the best musicians, artists and actors at the White House, also helped establish the grand venue.
The initiative for a National Cultural Center began with President Dwight D. Eisenhower in the 1950s, when John F. Kennedy was a senator. However, during Eisenhower’s presidency, problems arose as Congress disagreed over the center’s location, architectural plans and budget proposal. When Kennedy succeeded Eisenhower as president, he invested a significant amount of attention in the development of the cultural center — no doubt as a result of Jackie Kennedy’s influence. It is no surprise, then, that she was appointed Honorary Chairman of the National Cultural Center on February 24, 1962.
Despite Jackie Kennedy’s participation in the unveiling of Edward Stone’s architectural plans for the center in September 1962, criticism and disagreement over the site’s construction continued. Years after President Kennedy’s assassination, a consensus regarding the center was reached. Jackie Kennedy granted permission for the center to be renamed in her late husband’s honor, but did not attend the official opening on September 8, 1971. Her first appearance in the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts was on June 5, 1972, to attend Leonard Bernstein’s production of Mass. By then, she was known to the world as Mrs. Jackie Onassis, wife of the wealthy Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis.
Read more about Jackie Kennedy’s preservation work in Washington:
Jackie Kennedy’s Washington
Jackie Kennedy in the White House
Jackie Kennedy and Lafayette Square
About the Author
Katie Roxberry has a B.A. in history and English and recently graduated from GW with an M.A. in museum studies. She enjoyed researching and writing on historical objects while working as the digital media editor for the Albert H. Small Center for National Capital Area Studies during the 2023-2024 academic year.
Header Image: Postcard of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (front), c. 1970s, Albert H. Small Washingtoniana Collection AS 81.