John F. Kennedy Library Foundation

“This year we honor Americans who risked their careers, their safety, and even their lives to hold politicians to account and keep America true to her promises. "Governor Powell never wavered in his duty to the public interest. "The People of the Twin Cities reminded all Americans that we can not take our democracy for granted.” – Caroline Kennedy, Honorary President, JFK Library Foundation Congratulations to Jerome Powell and the people of the Twin Cities of Minnesota as 2026 JFK Profile in Courage Award Honorees!

Don’t miss the 2026 JFK Profile in Courage Award Ceremony happening tonight live at 8:30 p.m. ET. Caroline Kennedy and Jack Schlossberg will present the awards to Jerome Powell, the 16th Chair of the United States Federal Reserve, and the people of the Twin Cities of Minnesota for their courage defending the foundations of our Constitutional democracy. Watch the livestream at: https://lnkd.in/egk2RZwE

In his inaugural address, President Kennedy reminded us that some generations are called upon to defend freedom when the stakes are at their highest. Each year the JFK Library Foundation honors elected officials who embody that spirit and act in the interest of the greater good. Tomorrow, the JFK Library Foundation will present the 2026 JFK Profile in Courage Award to Jerome Powell, the 16th Chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve, and the people of the Twin Cities of Minnesota. At a time when both faced unprecedented attacks from outside forces, they stood up in defense of the promises of American democracy. Watch the award ceremony live on May 31 at 8:30 p.m. ET at: https://lnkd.in/egk2RZwE

Happy birthday to our 35th president! 109 years ago on May 29, 1917, John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, the second of nine children born into a close-knit, politically-connected Irish Catholic family. See more photos of JFK’s childhood and young adult years: https://lnkd.in/encct_yY Images: KFC3435P. John F. Kennedy (undated) KFC2247P. Kennedy Family in Palm Beach, Florida (ca. 1938)

Make a plan to watch the 2026 JFK Profile in Courage Award Ceremony this Sunday, May 31 at 8:30 p.m. ET. Caroline Kennedy and Jack Schlossberg will present the award to Jerome Powell, the 16th Chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve and the people of the Twin Cities of Minnesota. They said ahead of this year’s ceremony: “This year’s honorees represent the courage of those who serve in all areas of government–and those who believe in it. Without public servants of integrity committed to maintaining the highest standards of institutional excellence and independence like Chair Powell, and citizens willing to put their lives on the line to hold America to its promises, our democracy can’t survive. This year we honor the courage of those who didn’t seek elected office but have demonstrated moral courage across our society.” RSVP to watch the ceremony at: https://lnkd.in/ePtXdeRw

#OTD in 1961, JFK addressed Congress on Urgent National Needs, where he advocated "landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth" before the end of the 1960s. Full speech: https://lnkd.in/e-7QfUu8

"The high courage and the supreme sacrifice of Americans who gave their lives in battle have made it possible for our land to flourish under freedom and justice." Image: President Kennedy lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. https://lnkd.in/exbYudPC #MemorialDay

Miiko Taka, right, was a Nisei actress whose family was forcibly removed by the US government during WWII to the Gila River War Relocation Center in Arizona, where they spent the duration of the war. Her most famous role is an Hana-ogi in the 1957 film Sayonara, starring Marlon Brando. #AAPIHM 📸: AR6385-A. Miiko Taka and Edward Emanuel, representatives of the Variety Clubs International meet with President Kennedy in the Oval Office. Photograph by Abbie Rowe. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston

#OTD on May 22, 1962, President and Mrs. Kennedy hosted a state dinner in honor of the President and First Lady of the Ivory Coast, Félix and Marie-Thérèse Houphouët-Boigny. The Ivory Coast was one of 15 African countries that became independent during the summer and fall of 1960, and was one of the most anti-Communist of the new nations. President Kennedy’s invitation to President Houphouët-Boigny was a gesture of friendship to the leader of an emerging African democracy. https://lnkd.in/eDKS9g45

Starting in 2025, a sharp escalation in federal immigration enforcement swept cities across the country, sowing fear in immigrant communities and raising alarm over expanding federal power. In the Twin Cities of Minnesota, more than 3,000 ICE and Border Patrol agents were deployed across the metro area in one of the largest federal immigration operations in history. The people of the Twin Cities responded with extraordinary courage and resolve. Tens of thousands peacefully protested, documented enforcement activity, and protected vulnerable neighbors despite violent confrontations and personal risk. Across religious, racial, and political lines, residents united in defense of their neighbors’ rights and democratic values. On May 31, four representatives of the Twin Cities will accept the JFK Profile in Courage Award on behalf of their community: Imam Yusuf Abdulle, Co-Founder, Somali American Leadership Table and Executive Director, Islamic Association Of North America, convened the Somali community amid rising hate crimes and political attacks and joined religious leaders across traditions to play a visible role in leading peaceful protests. Natalie Ehret, Founder of the non-profit Haven Watch, supported people released from ICE detention by providing phones, transportation, and resources to help them reconnect with family and rebuild their lives with dignity. Carolina Ortiz, Associate Executive Director of COPAL MN, helped unify a coalition of over 100 immigrant, labor, legal, faith, and community organizations to coordinate rapid response efforts and train more than 30,000 constitutional observers. Zena Stenvik, Superintendent of Columbia Heights Public Schools, publicly spoke out after her students were detained by ICE, exposing federal tactics that threatened the safety of students and families and helping mobilize educators to keep schools protected spaces for learning and support. RSVP to watch the livestream: https://lnkd.in/egk2RZwE