50th Anniversary of JFK's Inaguration

January 20 has been Inauguration day for every U.S. president since 1937 when Franklin Roosevelt was admitted into office for his 2nd term. This year it was the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy's inauguration. I don't remember the inauguration day but I do remember the day he was assassinated. The neighborhood children all gathered on the driveway in front of my house, apparently all of our mothers were inside crying. We must have been very small at the time.


Fast forward to January 20 2011- My husband was invited by his childhood best friend & next door neighbor to attend an opening of his father Phil Stern's photography gallery. He had been a photographer for Life magazine, a WWII photographer, and personal photographer to Frank Sinatra. It was Frank Sinatra who was in charge of entertainment for the inaugural ball and that was how Mr. Stern became the official photographer for the day.

We went to the penthouse of a lovely building in downtown L.A. for the show. It was very nostalgic to hear all the old music and see photographs of so many major politicians and stars on this historic day. Included in some of the pictures were JFK, Jackie Kennedy, Richard Nixon, President Eisenhower, Mimi Eisenhower, Frank Sinatra, Harry Belafonte, Ella Fitzgerald, Kay Thompson, her dog, and many more I don't even remember. One that made me emotional was of Robert Kennedy & his brother...it just struck to the heart to see people who had so much potential to do good knowing they were both struck down.

Anyway I wish I had brought my camera I could have shared more pictures...here are some from my phone.