John F. Kennedy Jr.

American attorney and magazine publisher

Born: November 25, 1960  ·  Died: July 16, 1999

Died on This DayFamous PersonsDisasters & Accidents
John F. Kennedy Jr.
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Overview

Career

president John F. Kennedy, and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy.

Known for

American attorney and magazine publisher (1960–1999)

Who was John F. Kennedy Jr.?

John Fitzgerald Kennedy Jr. (November 25, 1960 – July 16, 1999), also referred to as JFK Jr., was an American businessman, attorney, magazine publisher, and journalist. He was the son of the 35th U.S. president John F. Kennedy, and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. Born shortly after his father's election, Kennedy spent his early childhood in the White House until the president's assassination, after which he became widely recognized for saluting his father's casket during the funeral procession. He was also active in nonprofit work and in supporting his family's political campaigns. He later worked as an assistant district attorney in Manhattan before launching the political lifestyle magazine George in 1995. A prominent social figure in Manhattan, Kennedy was the subject of sustained media attention throughout his life, including coverage of his marriage to Carolyn Bessette.

A drawing of three-year-old JFK Jr. saluting his father's coffin, placed on a memorial wall for him shortly after his death
A drawing of three-year-old JFK Jr. saluting his father's coffin, placed on a memorial wall for him shortly after his death
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Historical significance

Kennedy died in a plane crash in 1999. John Fitzgerald Kennedy Jr., also referred to as JFK Jr., was an American businessman, attorney, magazine publisher, and journalist.

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Related on thisDay

How Did Spatial Disorientation Cause JFK Jr.'s Crash?

John F. Kennedy Jr. dies piloting a plane that crashes into the Atlantic Ocean off Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts in 1999, killing him, his wife…

Use the dated article for the day-specific account; use these references to check the event record and explore its wider historical context.

Date article: How Did Spatial Disorientation Cause JFK Jr.'s Crash?Wikipedia source
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MLA

“John F. Kennedy Jr.” thisDay, thisday.info/people/john-f-kennedy-jr/. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

APA

John F. Kennedy Jr. (n.d.). thisDay. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://thisday.info/people/john-f-kennedy-jr/

Chicago

“John F. Kennedy Jr.” thisDay. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://thisday.info/people/john-f-kennedy-jr/.

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