Arthur Schlesinger Jr.

November 21, 2007

by findingDulcinea Staff

The image of JFK's Camelot administration, with its energetic young leader and iconic wife, is often thought to stem from the vision of Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.

Schlesinger joined Senator Kennedy’s 1960 campaign as an advisor and speechwriter, and was named Special Assistant to the President the following year. After President Kennedy’s assassination, Schlesinger led a successful academic life and published many award-winning books.

As special assistant to the president, Arthur Schlesinger witnessed firsthand the politics and personalities that influenced the now-legendary Kennedy administration. Read Schlesinger’s detailed account of the administration in A Thousand Days: John F. Kennedy in the Whitehouse. The book won the 1965 National Book Award.

Source: A Thousand Days: John F. Kennedy in the White House

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The Kennedy Empire

Schlesinger’s The Imperial Presidency is one of the best-known and most influential books in the political-science world.

Source: The Imperial Presidency

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From May 2005 to his death, Schlesinger was a contributing blogger at The Huffington Post. Read his archived posts with the link below.

Source: Huffington Post

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Shortly before Schlesinger passed away, a group portrait of former members of the Kennedy administration was taken. Mark Seliger photographed the portrait for the April issue of Vanity Fair as part of a historical portfolio that includes officials from 10 presidential administrations. This article also features a link to exclusive video from the shoot.