Description:

Kennedy Jacqueline

Jacqueline Kennedy’s handwritten letter to U Thant, Secretary General of the United Nations. Written in black ink on both sides of one sheet of black-bordered stationary, 6.25" x 9.25". Near fine with small staple holes to upper left corner.

 

Jacqueline Kennedy shined on the world stage as a young, beautiful, charming and sophisticated First Lady. Later in life, she found her passion through her work as an editor at Doubleday. What's so apparent in this fascinating letter from Jackie to U Thant, Secretary General of the United Nations is the immense insight that she possessed as a careful listener. One should keep in mind that Jackie had become very reclusive in the years after Jack's death. Living in New York City was not easy given the media's attention to her every move. She sought comfort by getting together with the people who she knew well and in some cases acquaintances from her days in the White House. One of those people happened to be Secretary General U Thant who she initially met as First Lady. Thant and Jack had forged a strong relationship by working in tandem to address the Cuban Missile Crisis.

So, in 1968 - - - it felt right for U Thant to invite Jackie to lunch high atop the tower of the United Nations. Joining that luncheon was Edgar Faure, a well-known French politician and former Prime Minister. Jackie writes, "I do wish to thank you for asking me to lunch. It was fascinating to hear Edgar Faure pour out all his thoughts - half that deep bitterness against the Anglo Saxons - half wishing to be close. It made me think how complicated your life is - always situations where the solution is never black nor white, but always gray. I do admire you. You never let the attrition show. That lunch - high in your beautiful tower - was very good for me - Thank you for thinking of me. Sincerely, Jacqueline Kennedy".

Clearly, Jackie possessed "smarts." And this letter reflects the depth of her soul, and the yearning and appreciation for intellectual thoughts. Jackie obviously felt comfortable within the environment of the United Nations dining room on February 1, 1968. She also felt a sense of comfort in the presence of these men - - - U Thant and Edgar Faure - - - who were leaders and thinkers much like her husband had been. This letter captures the essence of Jacqueline Kennedy and the wonderful facets of her character and personality.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. ***PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR SHIPMENT TO BE SENT TO AN ADDRESS OTHER THAN THE ONE YOU HAVE ON FILE WITH INVALUABLE, YOU WILL NEED TO INFORM US OF THIS AS SOON AS PAYMENT IS SUBMITTED FOR YOUR WINNINGS*** Shipping and handling costs are competitive as we maintain discounted contracts with FedEx. If you have any questions, contact University Archives prior to bidding. After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 5 business days following receipt of full payment for item. We currently ship via FedEx but if your purchase is shipping to a P.O. Box, we ship via USPS. All items are insured. We ship from our offices in Westport, CT. We may opt to use a third party shipper for very fragile, bulky or oversized items. Items requiring third party shipping will be denoted in the item description. Packages shipped internationally will have full value declared on shipping form. International buyers will be responsible for any customs fees incurred.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Westport, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 20% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000