It is still curious that for so many decades Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis was a pop reference and upon completing 3 decades of her death she no longer has the same reverence that she aroused until recently. In early 2001, the Metropolitan Museum of Art dedicated a beautiful exhibition in her honor, and on May 19, 2024 nothing of the kind was scheduled.
In 1994, the world stopped to watch her last days, spent at home and surrounded only by those she loved. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, widow of President John F. Kennedy and Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, died at age 62 of cancer of the lymphatic system. Known as Jackie Onassis, Jackie O, or Jackie Kennedy, she was a prominent figure in American history and pop culture.
Born on July 28, 1929, Jackie gained worldwide fame when at age 34 she became the First Lady of the United States, bringing glamor and style to the White House as the wife of the 35th American president. Jackie served in the position until the murder of her husband, of whom she was a direct witness to the tragedy.
Jackie Onassis’s relevance to pop culture
Daughter of American socialites, Jackie was born to shine and alongside Jack Kennedy was the closest to what Americans still see as the “Royal Family”. Known for her impeccable fashion sense, and elegant and sophisticated style characterized by pillbox hats, tailored suits, and oversized sunglasses, Jackie was a fashion icon until her death. Designers like Oleg Cassini often created her wardrobe, and her influence on fashion continues to be felt today.
Additionally, as First Lady, Jackie Kennedy was instrumental in promoting arts and culture in the United States. She personally oversaw the restoration of the White House, emphasizing historic preservation and the importance of the country’s heritage. To this end, she was a pioneer in pre-social media times by opening the doors of the White House and making a TV special considered legendary, a significant cultural moment, bringing the history and grandeur of the presidential residence to American homes, as reproduced in the film Jackie, with Natalie Portman.
As a Public Figure, Jackie’s life was marked by significant public and media attention. Her marriage to JFK and subsequent tragic assassination made her an object of global sympathy and fascination. Her second marriage to Aristotle Onassis, one of the richest men in the world, further consolidated her status as a media sensation.
There is a lot of controversy here. She would have “stolen” Onassis not only from her sister, Lee Radzwill, one of Truman Capote’s “swans”. The connection between Jackie and her future husband would have been when she was feeling humiliated by JFK’s affair with Marilyn Monroe, who appeared at the president’s 40th birthday party in a transparent dress and on the same night, was photographed with her lover from the Greek shipowner, Maria Callas.
Another interesting fact is that, in 2016, director Pablo Larraín signed the biopic Jackie and is now working on the story of the Greek soprano, with Angelina Jolie playing Callas in the film Maria. In the film about the First Lady, Larraín focused on the days after the assassination as Jackie organized the funeral, highlighting both her personal grief and her efforts to shape her husband’s legacy. As for Maria, he will focus on the last days of the opera star’s life. There is no way to avoid at least mentioning Jackie in the film. We follow!
Jackie’s legacy
Jackie’s influence extended beyond her lifetime. Her contributions to the arts and historic preservation, along with her enduring image as a symbol of grace and resilience, have left a lasting legacy. Books, films, and documentaries continue to explore her life, securing her place in the annals of American cultural history.
Her public persona and media presence were marked by poise and grace under pressure, especially during the tragic murder of her husband in 1963, where her composure during the period won her widespread admiration and worldwide sympathy.
Jackie shocked the world when she married Aristotle Onassis in 1968, especially because she inherited millions from the union and used them with gusto. Their troubled relationship generates a lot of speculation to this day and when she became a widow for the second time, she reinvented herself.
From the 1980s she worked as a book editor in New York City and her contributions to literature and the arts continued to solidify her legacy as a patron of culture.
She was a controlling mother and in the last years of her life, she had Maurice Tempelsman as a companion and lived quietly, hanging out at parties and restaurants in New York. Here is the record with one without a year late due to the date and the curiosity if today we would look at Jackie in the same way. Be that as it may, he is, without a doubt, one of the greatest icons of the 20th century.
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