Objects of Art: Bust of President John F. Kennedy

This bust of former President John F. Kennedy was given to the Library by the Kennedy family at a ceremony held at NLM on June 27, 1972. Senator Edward M. Kennedy presented it in token of John Kennedy's active interest in problems of biomedical communication, remarking that President Kennedy "had a deep and abiding concern for the health of all Americans, and clearly foresaw the necessity for a national institution to serve the information needs of health professionals." President Kennedy was cosponsor with Senator Lister Hill of the legislation that created the National Library of Medicine by converting to a civilian agency the Armed Forces Medical Library established in 1836.

This piece is a replica of the large bust which is in the grand foyer of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.