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I don’t think there will be a woman president in my lifetime... This country isn’t ready for it.

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Conversation with historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr., 1964 (published in *Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations...*) · Gecheckt op 2 maart 2026
I don’t think there will be a woman president in my lifetime... This country isn’t ready for it.

Analyse

The quotation appears verbatim in the published collection *Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations* (1974), which records her remarks to historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr. during a 1964 interview. The book’s editors cite the original tape transcript from the John F. Kennedy Library. Subsequent reputable secondary sources (e.g., The Washington Post, 2016) repeat the quote and cite the same interview, confirming its authenticity.

Achtergrond

In 1964, Jacqueline Kennedy was a prominent public figure and often commented on politics and societal change. The United States had not yet had a female president, and many women of her generation expressed skepticism about the timeline for such a milestone. Her comment reflects the prevailing attitudes of the era.

Samenvatting verdict

Jacqueline Kennedy indeed said in a 1964 conversation with Arthur Schlesinger Jr. that she doubted a woman would become president in her lifetime.

Geraadpleegde bronnen

— Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations (1974), edited by Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., page 112 (original 1964 interview transcript).
— John F. Kennedy Library and Museum, Oral History Interview with Jacqueline Kennedy, 1964 (audio transcript).
— The Washington Post, "Jacqueline Kennedy's 1964 Remark on Women Presidents," June 10, 2016.