Description:

John F. Kennedy PSA Signed PA Democratic Party Dinner Program Dating from JFK's 1959 "Undercover Campaign"

A Democratic Party event program signed by John F. Kennedy (1917-1963), then Senator from Massachusetts and future 35th U.S. President, as "John Kennedy" near the top recto (program page 2). N.d. but ca. October 9, 1959. N.p. but almost certainly Belle Vernon, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, located about 30 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. Encapsulated and PSA/DNA certified. The 4pp program is folded so that the inner pages are visible within the slab recto and verso. A central vertical fold runs down the length of both pages, else near fine. The program measures 5.625" x 8.5" while the slab measures 9.625" x 13.25." Housed in a transparent PSA pouch with adhesive lining. For a visual example of the full Washington County Democratic Banquet program, with each page scanned, please see the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum, "Pennsylvania: Trip, 9 October 1959: 1959: 27 August-14 December," Digital Identifier: JFKCAMP1960-0962-024-p0001.

Kennedy visited southwestern Pennsylvania coal and steel country during the fall of 1959 to drum up support for his imminent presidential campaign. He and his wife, Jackie Kennedy attended the Washington County Democratic Banquet held at the Twin Coaches Inn on Route 51 on Friday evening, October 9, 1959. The Washington County event was held in neighboring Lafayette County - a curious fact that Kennedy mentioned as an opening icebreaker. Senator Kennedy read from 5pp of prepared remarks entitled, "The Steel Strike and the Taft-Hartley Law," in which he condemned President Dwight D. Eisenhower's recent decision to invoke the Taft-Hartley Act to break up a nearly 3-months-long steelworkers' strike. Kennedy was pro-labor union on the issue.

This signed program dates from the throes of Kennedy's exhaustive "undercover campaign," the three-year period predating his official bid for Democratic candidate for U.S. President in January 1960. Between January and December 1959 alone, JFK, often accompanied by Jackie Kennedy, visited more than 28 states including Hawaii. Kennedy was not well-known on the national stage leading up to his presidential bid and trailed in early polls. He campaigned heavily throughout 1959, addressing union meetings, beauty pageants, farm shows, and school assemblies, He also used radio and television to broadcast his platform.

Kennedy eked out a narrow victory in the 1960 presidential election, defeating Republican candidate Richard M. Nixon by only 112,000 popular votes and 84 Electoral College ballots. Kennedy's first presidential term was cut short by his assassination in November 1963.

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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October 18, 2023 11:00 AM EDT
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University Archives

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