Rare and unseen photographs from theLIFEMagazine Archive
The Stump
Senator Kennedy delivers a speech during his 1960 presidential bid. Though LIFE assigned some of its top photographers to the campaign, the magazine published very little on the election.Walter Sanders / Time Life Pictures / Getty
Behind Every Powerful Man
Jacqueline watches her husband during a debate.Paul Schutzer / Time Life Pictures / Getty
Coal Country
At a campaign stop in Amherst West Virginia, Kennedy addresses miners from atop a station wagon, April, 1960.Hank Walker / Time Life Pictures / Getty
Battleground State
On the night of the Wisconsin primary, April, 1960.Stan Wayman / Time Life Pictures / Getty
Crowd Pleaser
Kennedy dives into a crowd at a campaign event in Los Angeles, July, 1960.Paul Schutzer / Time Life Pictures / Getty
Last Minute Pitch
The candidate and his team (Bobby is at far right) work the phones on the night of the Wisconsin primary, April, 1960. Kennedy edged out Humphrey, with 56% of the democratic vote.Stan Wayman / Time Life Pictures / Getty
The Convention
Jackie watches the DNC from the Kennedy home in Hyannisport.Ted Polumbaum / Newseum
The Running Mate
Kennedy and Lyndon Baines Johnson, his Vice President pick, campaign in Texas during the general election.Paul Schutzer / Time Life Pictures / Getty
The Opponent
Republican Richard Nixon and Kennedy face off in the first-ever televised presidential debate, September, 1960.Francis Miller / Time Life Pictures / Getty
Confidant
Kennedy defeated Nixon by only two tenths of a percentage point in the popular vote. Brother Bobby was appointed Attorney General.Stan Wayman / Time Life Pictures / Getty
On the Bus
Photographer Paul Schutzer took this shot of JFK and his sister Patricia Kennedy Lawford (C) during a campaign bus trip through Washington. Schutzer covered the campaign on and off for the entire year, and developed an extraordinarly close relationship with the Kennedys.Paul Schutzer / Time Life Pictures / Getty
Forks Down
Kennedy delivers a speech at a campaign dinner in Wisconsin early in the campaign. JFK and his democratic rival Hubert Humphrey regarded Wisconsin as an important battleground state.Robert W. Kelley / Time Life Pictures / Getty
Man of the People
Photographer Hank Walker followed candidate Kennedy as he campaigned in West Virginia.Hank Walker / Time Life Pictures / Getty
Fan Club
Female supporters of Kennedy wait for the candidate to arrive at a campaign appearance.Paul Schutzer / Time Life Pictures / Getty
A Brother’s Charge
Robert F. Kennedy served as JFK's campaign manager.Hank Walker / Time Life Pictures / Getty
Phone Bank
Jacqueline Kennedy joins her husband on a tv call-in show in West Virginia.Hank Walker / Time Life Pictures / Getty
Author
Kennedy revises a speech at a July event in California. JFK, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, wrote many of his own remarks.Paul Schutzer / Time Life Pictures / Getty
Parade
The candidate's motorcade travels through New York state.Paul Schutzer / Time Life Pictures / Getty
