JFK's Life, Legacy Celebrated On His Centennial
BOSTON (CBS/AP) — Monday marks 100 years since the birth of President John F. Kennedy, and celebrations were held at his presidential library in Dorchester and in his hometown of Brookline.
The United States Postal Service commemorated Kennedy's centennial Monday with a dedication of a new JFK postage stamp in Brookline, Massachusetts, a Boston suburb where the late president was born on May 29, 1917.
A parade was held in Brookline near the home, where visitors counted down to 3 p.m., the hour he was born.
The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Dorchester held a ceremonial flag raising at 9 a.m.
The museum held a birthday celebration that includes a performance by the U.S. Navy band, a speech from Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and a cake that was made by the family of the baker who made the engagement cake for then-Sen. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier, according to executive director Steven Rothstein.
That cake was big enough to feed 1,000 people Monday.
The museum unveiled a new year-long exhibit Friday featuring 100 original artifacts, documents, and photographs--40 of which have never been seen before by the public--from Kennedy's life and political career. The collection includes some of his personal belongings, including his sunglasses, ties, and even the speech he was going to deliver in Dallas the day he was killed.
"I think he was a man for the people. He was a good person and he wanted to help," one woman attending the ceremony said.
The museum has held several events this weekend to honor Kennedy's legacy.
"There's no one issue or one event that we could do to highlight the different facets of (Kennedy)," Rothstein said. "Many of his key ideas are timeless. We fundamentally believe that JFK is a visionary who never goes out of style."
A ceremony was held Monday morning to honor the 35th U.S. president at his gravesite at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.
Kennedy served as president from January 1961 until he was assassinated in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Kim Tunnicliffe reports
