Princewill Pius
Just as her clothing had been used politically when JFK was alive, Jackie Kennedy used her wardrobe to send a powerful message following her husband’s assassination.
According to People, “Mrs. Kennedy staunchly wore the blood-soaked suit from the time her husband was shot at 12:30 pm CT on Nov. 22, 1963 until the early hours of the next morning. She had the suit on during the swearing in of President Lyndon B. Johnson on Air Force One on the way back to Washington D.C., about two hours after her husband was assassinated. Though she was urged multiple times to change out of the suit, which was covered in President Kennedy’s blood, Mrs. Kennedy insisted, ‘Let them see what they’ve done.'”
In 2003, Kennedy’s daughter, Caroline B. Kennedy, donated the suit to the National Archives, along with several other items belonging to her famous parents. According to the National Archives, the suit is kept in a “secure area, under climate-controlled conditions, and stored flat in special containers for preservation purposes.” Per Caroline’s request, “access to the clothing and personal effects of Mrs. Kennedy are restricted for one hundred (100) years from the date of execution of the deed of gift.”
Though the first lady’s famous suit was not created by a world-renowned designer, it has certainly become an iconic symbol of this tragic moment in American history.
Written by: Nicki
