JFK35 - A podcast by the JFK Library Foundation

The five freedoms protected by the First Amendment — religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition — are among the values America is best known for. NPR Senior Political Correspondent Tamara Keith joins us to discuss how these freedoms have shaped American democracy and how President Kennedy and other modern presidents have understood their importance.

The U.S. Constitution has served as the foundation of American democracy for nearly 250 years, guiding the nation through war, economic hardship, political upheaval, and profound change. In this episode of JFK35, historian Barbara Perry joins us to explore the Constitution's enduring importance and how presidents—including John F. Kennedy—have understood their oath to preserve, protect, and defend it.

President John F. Kennedy's connection to the sea shaped his life from an early age to the his time in the White House. In this episode, JFK Presidential Library Director Alan Price explores how the sea helped shape President Kennedy's life and presidency, while examining the vital role America's oceans and maritime history have played throughout the nation's 250-year story.

Two-hundred and fifty years after America's founders declared the United States free and independent from Great Britain, we look back at the choices they made to shape a new nation—and how their leadership influenced future presidents, including President John F. Kennedy. Award-winning presidential historian, fellow at New America, and bestselling author Alexis Coe joins us to explore America's earliest leaders, the challenges they faced, and how President Kennedy—and other presidents who followed—drew on their legacy.

As part of JFK35's America 250 season, former U.S. Archivist Colleen Shogan joins us to discuss In Pursuit, a new essay project that explores the lessons America's presidents and first ladies can offer as the nation marks its 250th anniversary. Together, we examine the importance of preserving history, the role of public memory in a democracy, and how understanding our past can help strengthen the future of the United States.