RFK Jr.'s Personal Family Archives
Thanksgiving Reflection: The Kennedy Family Legacy - the Roots of MAHA
"I always write about Thanksgiving being my favorite holiday because it doesn't involve gifts. It involves kind of this shared sense of family, this larger sense of family. ... It's just kind of deeper and quieter and people are talking and connecting."
— Maria Shriver
First of all, Happy Thanksgiving. I hope your weekend is full of rest and revival. I know I could use it.
As a welcome break from deep dives and conspiracies, today seemed the perfect excuse to share something sentimental—an intimate look at some of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s personal family archives, generously shared for this feature. Over the past year, I've been amplifying his ideals and messaging, but these photos offer fresh perspective — a glimpse into the rich legacy that shaped him.
Taken mostly at the Kennedy Compound in Cape Cod, images pulled from various decades capture the essence of health, vitality, and adventure that have come to define the Kennedy family name. From sailing the wind swept waters of Hyannis Port Harbor to fishing off Cape Cod's rugged shores, the Kennedys embraced life as daring thrill seekers weighted by resilience. Their active lifestyle was a symbol of health and vitality that resonated with the nation during the Camelot era.
Today, that same commitment to health and well-being is being promoted by RFK Jr. as he prepares to take on the role of Secretary of Health and Human Services under the Trump administration. These family albums remind us of the roots of his vision for MAHA — an initiative aimed at restoring national well-being. Or as I see it, proof of life patterns fueling preferred policies.
The Kennedy Compound: A Legacy of Ambition, Tragedy, and Vitality
In 1928, Joseph Kennedy arrived in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, not just in a Rolls-Royce but with a mission—to stake his claim where others had denied him, transforming a quiet Cape Cod enclave into a symbol of American ambition and resilience. A bold Boston banker with grand visions, Joseph arrived with pockets full of cash, a chauffeured car, and a barefoot brood of children in tow.
Before discovering this idyllic retreat, the Kennedy family had struggled to find a summer haven. In upscale towns like Cohasset, the Protestant elite had rejected Joseph—a Catholic and son of a barkeep—and his wife, Rose, the refined daughter of Boston Mayor John "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald. When Joseph was rebuffed from the local golf club, likely due to his faith and humble roots, he turned his sights to Hyannis Port. There, he purchased a modest white-shingled "cottage” on a dead-end street for $25,000 (roughly $450,000 today) and quickly transformed it, doubling its size, adding a movie theater, and christening it the "Big House."
The Kennedys’ arrival didn’t go unnoticed. As Kate Storey notes in White House by the Sea: A Century of the Kennedys at Hyannis Port, "It really transformed this very private community."
The nine Kennedy children spent their summers immersed in a nearly mythical routine: spirited games of touch football, sailboat races, and dance. For Joseph, Hyannis Port remained a constant amid his rise from banking to Hollywood to an ambassadorship under Franklin D. Roosevelt. Though he acquired other homes, including a palatial estate in Palm Beach, Florida, Hyannis Port remained the family's anchor.
"It's where JFK and Jackie spent quality time with the kids, strolling the beach or lounging on the porch," Storey recalls. It was also where JFK often retreated on weekends, sometimes convening Cabinet meetings in his parents’ living room. As JFK famously said, "I always go to Hyannis Port to be revived."
Over the decades, the compound expanded its footprint. By the mid-20th century, John and Jacqueline had moved into the house next door to Joseph’s, while Robert Kennedy and his growing family settled into the house behind. Together, these three clapboard homes became known as the Kennedy Compound.
Spanning six acres of waterfront land, the compound set the stage for iconic images that cemented the Kennedys as America’s most beloved political dynasty. In Harvard sweaters, they played touch football on the lawn, sailed in the harbor, hosted campaign clam bakes, and posed for family portraits that captured the infectious optimism of Camelot. The compound transformed into a cultural symbol, embodying an era’s allure, aesthetic, and ideals.
Yet beneath the idyllic framing the compound bore witness to a series of profound tragedies. Rosemary Kennedy, the third child, underwent a botched lobotomy in 1941, leaving her permanently disabled at the age of 22. Joseph Jr., the eldest son, was killed in World War II at 29, driving Joseph Sr. into a deep mourning period, cloistered in his Hyannis Port bedroom with only classical music for solace. Kathleen "Kick" Kennedy, the effervescent fourth child, tragically died in a plane crash in 1948 at the age of 28.
Despite these and many other family heartaches, Hyannis Port remained a steady sanctuary. When John ran for Senate, Rose and Eunice hosted tea parties to introduce the war hero to their Republican neighbors. The family celebrated milestones there—from John and Jacqueline’s engagement photos to Maria Shriver's wedding to Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Even after John’s assassination, Jacqueline Kennedy ensured that Hyannis Port remained a touchstone for her children. Summers were spent with cousins, painting on the porch, editing manuscripts, or walking alone the beach at sunset. Jackie herself was known to occasionally sunbathe nude on the roof, savoring the compound's seclusion. Yet, in 1979, she left for the last time, opting for the solitude of Martha’s Vineyard over the public scrutiny that followed her to Hyannis Port.
Through all the chapters of grief and loss, the Kennedys' connection to the sea remained a constant. As Storey writes, "Sailing is so important to them... it’s almost like a religious experience, a way to escape the chaos of paparazzi, news crews, and tourists."
Today, the Compound stands as a poignant symbol of a bygone era. As Storey reflects, “It’s what’s left of Camelot.”
“Thanksgiving was a Hyannis Port day for the family. There were always a few summer people who stayed through the November holiday, or families w kids who came back to celebrate together for the school break. Thanksgiving families layered up to gather around their dining tables for one last meal before closing up the houses until Memorial Day. For the Kennedys, Thanksgiving Thursday 1956 began like all the years before it. Thursday always started w a big breakfast of bacon, eggs, and waffles. Rose was up with the sun for the early Mass at St. Francis Xavier, but the rest of the family usually took their time, eventually piling into cars, making their way to the midmorning service. They always sat in the second row, facing the altar named for Joe Jr.
After church, they went out for a sail, even though the water was so cold a splash felt like a slap. After everyone was back on shore and cleaned up, they threw on old sweaters and skirts and heavy walking shoes before making their way over to the Big House, where dinner started promptly at one. There were no formal seating assignments-except for Rose and Joe who sat opposite each other at the heads of the long mahogany dining room table. The Kennedys, particularly the men, drank enormous quantities of milk, and alcohol wasn't served on Thanksgiving. They jumped instead to the first course-hot clam broth on a cold day, chilled tomato juice if it was balmy.
Joe started the meal with grace: "Bless us O Lord and these Thy gifts which we are about to receive from Thy bounty through Christ our Lord. Amen." Then the bickering over the cuts of turkey began. "They all like the same thing-the white meat," said Ziptha Anderson, the family cook.
That year, there was a frisson in the air. When the plates began to clear, Jack pulled his father away from the table into the sunroom. When they came back, their arms were around each other and they had matching grins. Jack had decided to run for president, they told the family. He'd do it in 1960. He wouldn't announce it publicly for a while, but the path to the White House was charted that night on the end of that dead-end street.”
— The White House by the Sea
Kennedy Family Traditions Past & Present
Teaching Bobby III to Swim
Melissa Etheridge Serenades Ethel and Cheryl
Hyannis Port’s Favorite Marine Biologist
Lessons in ‘Handroll’
Thanks for sharing. If you are around my age you probably still have a true understanding of how the images of Camelot and this very vibrant era affected us as Americans deeply. I remember taking a fitness test initiated by President Kennedy. Those that didn't pass (and there were very few) were given guidance in how to achieve better results through Physical Education. RFK JR is the perfect fit for HHS. I look forward to his leadership in promoting health and fitness. If you don't think we need it, just take a trip to one of our beaches here in Florida! We are living in a time where being overweight is considered normal. I hope this is the beginning of changes in our lifestyles.
You conveniently forgot to mention that his entire family thinks he's a crackpot. These photos are from the time before he lost his mind...