Jackie Kennedy: First Lady of the New Frontier

A First Lady can’t sign bills, command troops, or issue executive orders, yet Jacqueline Kennedy still reshaped American civic life. We sit down with Barbara Perry, presidential historian at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center and author of *Jacqueline Kennedy: First Lady of the New Frontier*, to look past the fashion headlines and get into the real mechanics of Jackie’s influence. We talk about her hands-on role in the White House restoration and why she obsesses over details that most people would never notice. Barbara shares how Jackie helps create the first modern White House guidebook and builds the kind of public history infrastructure that keeps working long after one administration ends. We also explore a bigger argument: in the middle of the Cold War, culture is not fluff. Jackie’s vision of the White House as an icon becomes a form of American soft power, aimed at showing the world what democracy looks like when it takes its own story seriously. Then we turn to the harder truths: intense press attention, young motherhood, difficult pregnancies, personal loss, and the private strain of living in a public “goldfish bowl.” We discuss the courage and message-making that follow Dallas, including how Jackie helps shape the nation’s mourning through symbolism and planning. And yes, we end with something that humanizes the Kennedys in the best way: the pets, the gifted puppies, and the surprisingly diplomatic role of a family menagerie. If you care about presidential history, civic culture, or leadership without elected office, listen now and tell us what detail changed the way you see Jackie Kennedy. Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show. Check Out the Civic Literacy Curriculum!School of Civic and Economic Thought and LeadershipCenter for American Civics