After both portraits were finished, Mrs. Kennedy (by then known as Mrs. Onassis), gave final approval and a viewing in the White House East Room was scheduled for February 5, 1971. As the public geared up for the official unveiling of the portraits, Mrs. Kennedy made a secret trip to the White House on February 3. Prior to this visit, she had not returned to the White House because she thought it would be too painful and sad. The former first lady even declined an invitation for her own garden dedication ceremony with Lady Bird Johnson on April 22, 1965.7 Unsure about how she would feel reentering the house, Kennedy opted for a private tour with only President Richard Nixon and First Lady Patricia Nixon. Aside from the Nixons, only two people in the White House knew about her visit; Chief Usher Rex Scouten and White House Curator Clement Conger.8
President Nixon sent a small military jet to New York to fly the former first lady and her children, Caroline and John Jr., to Washington on the afternoon of February 3, 1971. The family arrived at the White House at 5:30 pm for a tour with First Lady Patricia Nixon. During the tour Mrs. Nixon showed the Kennedy family the changes that had been made to the White House and showed off some of the newest acquisitions to the White House Collection. These changes were of particular interest to Mrs. Kennedy, as it was her vision that sought to acquire and preserve historic artifacts while transforming the White House into a living museum.9
Although the paintings were to be displayed on easels in the East Room for their public unveiling, White House Curator Clement Conger made sure they were hanging in their intended locations for the Kennedy visit. The portrait of President Kennedy was hung in the Green Room, his favorite of the three State Floor parlors.10 It replaced an 1897 Claude Monet painting titled Morning on the Seine, Good Weather. This Monet painting had been donated by the Kennedy family to commemorate the slain president. In preparation for the new portrait it was relocated to the Residence on the Second Floor.11
Graf_Geilsberg on February 6th, 2021 at 14:47 UTC »
Well, Nixon believed his whole life, that LBJ was the mastermind behind JFKs assassination. He also worked with Kennedy when the two were both young first term congressmen.
TheDeadlySquid on February 6th, 2021 at 13:48 UTC »
I imagine it would have been a very painful experience and no need to have the press involved. She literally had a front row seat to her husband’s head being blown apart.
CompetitionSeparate4 on February 6th, 2021 at 13:46 UTC »
The Kennedy family as a whole has a curse of death. - Joseph Kennedy died in a plane crash. - Kathleen Kennedy died in a plane crash. - Edward Kennedy barely survives a plane crash. - Rosemary Kennedy had a failed lobotomy and was put in a institution. - John F Kennedy is assassinated. - Robbert F Kennedy is assassinated. - Edward Kennedy drives off a bridge. - David Kennedy dies of overdose. - Micheal Kennedy dies in ski accident. - John F Kennedy Jr, his wife, and sister in law all die in a plane crash. - Mary Kennedy is found dead in a barn by suicide. - Maeve Kennedy and her 8 year old son drowned. - Saoirse Kennedy died of overdose.
If I was a Kennedy I would avoid planes at all costs.