Outstanding matte-finish 8 x 10 silver gelatin photo of President Kennedy in profile, his wife, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, smiling to his immediate right, signed and inscribed in the lower border in bold fountain pen to his longtime secretary, “For Helen Lempart — with the affectionate regards of her friends —John F. Kennedy, 1953-1963,” and in blue ballpoint, “Jacqueline Kennedy.” Archivally mounted and framed to an overall size of 12 x 14. In fine condition, with light silvering to the darker areas of the image, and pen trouble forcing Jackie to redo a few letters of her signature. Accompanied by a full letter of authenticity from JSA, and by an excised section of the original frame backing, which contains a signed handwritten provenance statement from Lempart: “This was a gift to me from President Kennedy when I left the White House to go to Rome in January of 1963.”
In 1955, at the age of 23, Massachusetts native Helen Lempart moved to Washington, D.C., and joined Senator John F. Kennedy’s staff. As the 1960 presidential campaign began, Lempart assisted Kennedy advance man Jerry Bruno in Wisconsin and West Virginia transcribing speeches, developing local headquarters, and interacting with the press. During the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles, Lempart worked 14-hour shifts and celebrated Kennedy’s nomination on the Sunset Strip. She went on to work with Ken O’Donnell scheduling campaign events and preparing speeches while traveling with Kennedy on his plane ‘Caroline’ as he delivered his vision for the future of the country. As Kennedy transitioned to the White House, Lempart transitioned to working in a space connected to the Oval Office. She served there until January 1963, taking a leave of absence to travel with the intent of returning for the 1964 campaign.
Provenance: Hake’s, Helen Lempart Archives, March 2019.
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