JFK and Jackie side by side in Arlington Cemetery

On my walk through Arlington Cemetery, I found myself following a small group of French students visiting the gravesite of President John F. Kennedy and his wife, Jacqueline. Their final resting place draws an average of three million visitors each year, a testament to their lasting impact.

JFK lies beside Jackie, with an eternal flame burning above their gravestones, encircled by Cape Cod granite. The flame’s steady glow symbolizes the enduring legacy of the beloved president.

Jackie Kennedy famously insisted that her husband’s gravesite be as accessible as possible, saying, “He belongs to the people.”

Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis rests alongside JFK, with the graves of two of their four children—who died in infancy—flanking the couple on either side.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy died in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963, at the age of 46. Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis passed away in New York City on May 19, 1994, at the age of 64.

1917-1963

1929-1994