Pres. photogenic.

• Position: Focus

"No single politician was photographed more than [John F.] Kennedy--from his first congressional bid as a decorated war hero in 1946; fairytale marriage to Jacqueline Bouvier in 1953; run for the White House in 1960 and role as commander in chief to the tragedy of his 1963 death in Dallas, Texas."

"American Visionary: John F. Kennedy's Life and Times" will be on view May 3-Sept. 17 at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C. The exhibition brings together images culled from the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, Getty Images, private collections, and the Kennedy family archives that capture the dramatic scope of JFK's life. It is one of the most exhaustively researched collections of Kennedy photos ever assembled, and is based on the book, JFK: A Vision for America.

"American Visionary" is the first event in the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum's year-long, nationwide celebration that commemorates Kennedy's centennial year. The exhibition opens in time for what would have been Kennedy's 100th birthday on May 29.

The JFK Administration coincided with a golden age of U.S. photojournalism. No single politician was photographed more than Kennedy--from his first congressional bid as a decorated war hero in 1946; fairytale marriage to Jacqueline Bouvier in 1953; run for the White House in 1960 and role as commander in chief to the tragedy of his 1963 death in Dallas, Texas.

Documentary photographers such as Ed Clark, Ralph Crane, Philippe Halsman, Jacques Lowe, Steve Schapiro, and Sam Vestal captured the optimism and challenges of the early 1960s in some of the finest and most vivid images of the period. Some of the photographs on display are iconic; others have never before been published.

"John F. Kennedy is still seen as a symbol around the world, representing and espousing the best and most universal elements of the American character," says Stephen Kennedy Smith, Kennedy's nephew and co-editor of JFK: A Vision for America. "It is our hope that the compelling images of Pres. Kennedy's life and work on view in this exhibition will remind visitors not only of the values that defined his presidency, but will introduce him to new audiences and future leaders."

As part of the "JFK 100 Centennial Celebration," the Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is spearheading a series of events and initiatives across the nation aimed at inspiring new generations to find meaning...