AN ABC NEWS EXCLUSIVE TELEVISION EVENT:
JACQUELINE KENNEDY, IN HER OWN WORDS
ABC News Premieres Jacqueline Kennedy’s Remarkable 1964 Official Oral History
Diane Sawyer to Anchor a Primetime Special as Part of a Series of Features & Reports This September
Reports to Coincide with the Publication of
Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations on Life with John F. Kennedy
This September ABC News will present an historic television event — Jacqueline Kennedy in her own words. For the first time viewers will hear the recollections and reflections of the former First Lady during in-depth conversations with historian Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., conversations that Mrs. Kennedy recorded for posterity. Diane Sawyer will anchor this series of special reports, which will include an exclusive interview with Caroline Kennedy to discuss these never-before-heard interviews (WATCH A TRAILER FROM ABC NEWS).
In the spring of 1964, Jacqueline Kennedy sat down for seven historic interviews with Schlesinger, which have remained strictly sealed – until now. In this unique time capsule, Mrs. Kennedy recorded her impressions of life with her husband, President John F. Kennedy. The more than eight and a half hours of official audio recordings cover the extraordinary historic events that shaped the Kennedy White House — from John F. Kennedy’s early campaigns to the Cuban Missile Crisis to his last days in the White House. The interviews reflect Mrs. Kennedy’s evolving sense of herself and her role as First Lady, as she talks about her family and married life in the White House, providing a unique window into one of the world’s most admired women.
“It is a great privilege to be able to share these recollections with the millions of people who admire my parents. My mother took very seriously the obligation to preserve and document the history of my father’s administration — and these interviews are the result. I am honored to play a small part in that effort by bringing them forward in connection with the 50 anniversary of the Kennedy Administration,” said Caroline Kennedy. More from Caroline Kennedy here: WATCH.
The centerpiece of this ABC News television event will be a special Diane Sawyer primetime hour airing this September. In addition, reports will air across all ABC News broadcasts and platforms – including “World News with Diane Sawyer,” “Good Morning America,” “Nightline” and “This Week with Christiane Amanpour.” Segments will also air on ABC News Radio, ABC News NOW, and NewsOne, the network’s affiliate service. ABCNews.com has launched a special webpage that will highlight the historic events of the Kennedy administration discussed by Mrs. Kennedy.
This ABC News series of special programs will coincide with the publication of the highly anticipated book based upon the oral history interviews, entitled Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations on Life with John F. Kennedy. The book includes a personal foreword by Caroline Kennedy and annotations by historian Michael Beschloss. Hyperion is publishing the book and audiotapes this September in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy Administration and in association with the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library. Click here to pre-order.