Description:

Kennedy Jacqueline 1929 - 1994 An important vestige of Camelot: a unique autograph letter signed by Jackie Kennedy, written in the hours or days just after JFK's assassination, as former First Lady, but while still in the White House

Unique Autograph Note Signed "Jacqueline Kennedy" on a large White House card, 4.5" x 3.5". Washington, D.C. [November 23-28, 1963]. To White House Chief Usher J. B. West. Light rust impression from paper clip at top edge of both sides. Fine condition.

"Without you - we would never have been so happy here"

In full, "For J.B. West, Please don't forget the President - Without you - we would never have been so happy here - With deepest appreciation, Jacqueline Kennedy"

J.Bernard West was Assistant Usher of the White House from 1941 to 1957 when he became Chief Usher; he retired in 1969. Lady Bird Johnson wrote in her diary about first meeting West on the morning of November 26, 1963, at The Elms, the Johnsons' home in Washington, to discuss moving three rooms of furniture into the White House after Mrs. Kennedy and her children moved out. It was the day after President Kennedy's funeral.

That afternoon, at Mrs. Kennedy's request, Mrs. Johnson came to the White House to discuss the housekeeping details. Mrs. Johnson wrote in her diary, "She told that the two people in the house I could always depend on were Mr. West, who knew more than anybody else, and James Ketchum, the curator." If there is ever a problem about anything (e.g. "if you don't like a particular type of cookie, for instance"), "Just tell everything to Mr. West..."

Mrs. Kennedy and her children left Washington on Thursday, November 28th, to spend the Thanksgiving holiday in Hyannis, returning to the White House on December 1st. It was during this last week in the White House that, according to First Lady author, journalist, and historian and Carl Anthony she "wrote out by hand several dozen note cards, lined in black mourning with the crest of her husband's family, to every individual person, be they full-time or part-time who worked in the White House and served her husband. In order to be certain that nobody was forgotten, Jackie Kennedy ended up writing about a dozen more than necessary. Each carried the same simple message of appreciation: 'Thank you for all you did to help the President. Jacqueline Kennedy.'"

The White House card here offered is unique. Mrs. Kennedy did not have the black-bordered note cards until she returned to the White House on December 1st. This card must have been written in the days immediately following her husband's assassination, November 23-28, 1963. Jacqueline Kennedy was a highly educated woman, with a superb command of English, as well as other languages. She went on to have a career as a prominent book editor. Her use of this particular tense makes us certain this card was written after the assassination, but before receiving official mourning stationery.

On Friday, December 6, 1963, exactly two weeks after the assassination, Jacqueline Kennedy and her two children moved out of the White House to their new temporary home in Georgetown, just three blocks from the house the Kennedys had left in January 1961.

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