While JFK was only a year old at the time of the 1918 Flu Pandemic, Ernest Hemingway, whose papers are housed at the JFK Library, was old enough to witness and record his thoughts throughout the pandemic. Hear from Hemingway scholar Susan Beegel to learn how the flu affected his family and loved ones while he was a young man overseas in World War I.

Live televised press conferences are a mainstay in politics today, but it was President John F. Kennedy who held the first one from the White House in 1961. On this episode, we’ll take a look at how and why President Kennedy continues to be a role model for presidential press conferences almost sixty years later.

After President Kennedy announced his plan for a Peace Corps,  he had one man in mind to run it, his brother-in-law Sargent Shriver. Our guests include Dr. Jamie Price, executive director of the Sargent Shriver Peace Institute, and also Massachusetts Congressman Joe Kennedy III, President Kennedy’s great-nephew and an alumni of the Peace Corps.

JFK Library and JFK Library Foundation Directors Alan Price and Rachel Flor discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the Library's and Foundation’s ongoing work, including sharing more of the Library and its resources to those at home.

In this bonus episode JFK35, we interview 2020 New Frontier Award honorees Christina Fialho and Christina Mansfield, who co-founded the non-profit Freedom For Immigrants. The organization has influenced new laws in California to protect immigrant rights and stop the expansion of controversial private detention facilities for immigrants. 

In this bonus episode JFK35, we interview 2020 New Frontier Award honoree Washington Lt. Governor Cyrus Habib. Habib received the award for his work on important issues for his constituents including sponsoring bills that would guarantee paid sick leave for almost all workers and the Washington Voting Rights Act, which would prevent racially polarized voting systems.

For many, the holidays are a time to be with family and friends, decorate trees, and send out cards to loved ones. Things weren’t much different in the early 1960s - though in the midst of the Cold War, there were concerns about Santa Claus’s safety during nuclear testing. We sat down with archivists Stacey Chandler, Maryrose Grossman, and Laura Kintz who talked about President Kennedy’s reassuring message to a child that the North Pole would be safe, as well as other holidays moments and traditions inside the Kennedy White House.

The environment and climate change have become household issues in the 2020 Presidential Election, but in 1960, the issue did not have the same sense of urgency. Still, President John F. Kennedy had a strong affection for the environment and its protection. In this episode, we look at some of President Kennedy's environmental legacy and speak to his granddaughter, Tatiana Schlossberg, about her new book on how our everyday decisions can have a major impact on the environment.

If you picture President Kennedy, you might imagine him sailing confidently on the sea, or charming visiting heads of state, or tackling questions from the press. But below that cool exterior, JFK was actually kind of a nerd. We speak with JFK Library archivist Stacey Chandler to get a closer look at the man behind the cool sunglasses and clever remarks.

Meet the JFK Library’s new curator Janice Hodson, as she discusses her background, how she found herself at the JFK Library, and a sneak peak at a new exhibit next spring. As a special treat (no tricks!), we will also revisit a Halloween story from the Kennedy White House.