John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), commonly known as JFK, was an American politician who served as the 35th President of the United States from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, into a prominent Irish Catholic family with deep roots in Boston politics and business. The son of Joseph P. Kennedy and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, he grew up in a wealthy household that emphasized public service. After graduating from Harvard University in 1940, he served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, becoming a war hero after the sinking of PT-109. Kennedy's political career began in 1946 when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, followed by a Senate seat in 1952. He won the Pulitzer Prize for his 1956 book 'Profiles in Courage.' In 1960, as a Democrat, he narrowly defeated Richard Nixon to become president, the youngest elected president at age 43 and the first Catholic to hold the office. His administration, celebrated for its New Frontier vision, navigated the Cold War, including the failed Bay of Pigs invasion, the successful resolution of the Cuban Missile Crisis, and space race initiatives that culminated in the Apollo program. He also proposed the Peace Corps and civil rights legislation. Kennedy's life ended tragically on November 22, 1963, when he was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, at age 46. His presidency, though brief, symbolized youthful vigor and idealism, encapsulated in his inaugural address urging Americans to 'ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.'