We already brought you part one of our list of 15 things you probably didn’t know about John F. Kennedy, and now we’re back with part two! Check out eight more fascinating facts about one of our nation’s greatest and most beloved presidents below!
Number Eight: He Won a Pulitzer Prize. In 1957, JFK was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for writing a biography titled Profiles in Courage. However, there was some controversy surrounding his prize because it was rumored that the book was ghostwritten by his aid, Theodore Sorensen.
Number Seven: Four People Tried to Assassinate Him Before Oswald. Yes, it’s true – four other people tried to kill JFK before Lee Harvey Oswald was successful. He was quoted as saying, “Brother, they could have gotten me in Palm Beach. There is no way to keep anyone from killing me.” He didn’t know how right he would be at the time.
Number Six: He Wanted to Go to the Moon Together With the Soviets. In 1961, Kennedy made a promise that, as a nation, the United States would land someone on the moon by the end of the decade. During the height of the Cold War, Kennedy suggested that the United States and the U.S.S.R. collaborate together to have a man go to the moon. He thought this would save the nation money.
Number Five: He Was the Youngest President Ever Elected. JFK was just 43 years and 236 days old when he was elected. However, he was not the youngest president to assume office; that honor is held by Roosevelt, who was 42 years and 322 days old when he assumed office following McKinley’s assassination.
Number Four: He Holds a Record for Public Speaking. In certain sections of a speech he made in 1961, JFK said 327 words per minute. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, this is the fastest rate of public speaking in history. However, at times, he spoke very slowly.
Number Three: He Is the Only President to Win a Purple Heart. JFK was given a purple heart after having back problems and spending time in a military hospital. Though other presidential candidates have received the purple heart, JFK is the only president elected with a purple heart.
Number Two: The Canadian Government Named a Mountain After Him. After JFK was assassinated, the Canadian government decided to honor him by naming their highest unclimbed mountain after him. Interestingly, JFK’s brother, Robert Kennedy, was the first person to climb the mountain.
Number One: He Was Very Vain. There’s no denying that JFK was attractive, but do you realize just how vain he was? He was so obsessed with his own weight that he carried a set of bathroom scales with him at all times while traveling.