Jacqueline Bouvier, “Inquiring Camera Girl,” Times Herald (Washington, DC), June 4, 1953, page 23.
“Jackie Kennedy once took my mother’s photograph! Can you help me to find it?”
We frequently get this question, or a variation of it, in the Newspaper & Current Periodical Reading Room. Before she set foot into the White House as our First Lady, Jacqueline Bouvier worked for the Washington Times Herald getting “man-on-street” views for the day’s pressing questions. Here are examples of the questions she asked:
“What is your candid opinion of marriage?” (Times Herald, June 4, 1953, p23.)
“Are beauty operators and barbers entitled to tips?” (Times Herald, June 10, 1953, p7.)
At a Library of Congress exhibit she asked, “Which picture here do you like best and why?” (Times Herald, March 13, 1952, p20.)
In her column for the Times Herald, “Inquiring Photografer,” later called “Inquiring Camera Girl,” Bouvier provided photographs of the people she spoke to next to their opinions. She interviewed people about local events, current events, or questions related to every day life. She worked as the Inquiring Camera Girl from the fall of 1951 to June 1953, publishing the column almost daily. As one of her last assignments she was sent to Queen Elizabeth’s coronation. “Do you think Elizabeth will be England’s last queen?” she asked people in the crowd outside of Buckingham Palace (Times Herald, June 4, 1953, p4).
At the Capitol on one of her assignments in April 1953, she even interviewed the young John F. Kennedy, then a Senator from Massachusetts. They had already met the year before at a dinner party. Only a few months later, after ending her column with the Times Herald, Bouvier and Kennedy married on September 12, 1953.
Jacqueline Bouvier, “Inquiring Camera Girl,” Times Herald (Washington, DC), April 21, 1953, page 24.
As of yet, the Times Herald has not been digitized, so you’ll have to look through the microfilm to find these juicy questions and their answers. With a little investigative digging though, it can be worth it to catch this moment in time, especially if you know someone who once had their photograph taken by the young woman who became one of our most iconic First Ladies.
Did you have your picture taken by Jackie Kennedy? Do you know someone who did? We’d love to hear about it in the comments!
Additional Resources:
Today in History – July 28: Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis
//www.loc.gov/item/today-in-history/july-28/#jacqueline-bouvier-kennedy-onassis
First Ladies: Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy
https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/first-ladies/jacqueline-lee-bouvier-kennedy/
November 20, 2018 at 9:45 am
My mother Jean Hubbard was interviewed by Jacqueline Bouvier on the street between 1951 and 1953. It was published and it was about the surge of young and successful women working in Washington. My mother later became the assistant to the director of Goddard Space Flight during the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions during a time when women didn’t advance very quickly. I would like to have a copy of the article. Please let me know. My mom just passed away at the age of 90.
November 21, 2018 at 11:08 am
Gale, I am sorry for your loss. Your mother sounds like an amazing woman! As I mention, the Times Herald is not digitized, so I cannot quickly search to find the day that she was interviewed. I will take a look, however, and follow up with you through our Ask-A-Librarian service: //www.loc.gov/rr/askalib/ask-news.html
March 1, 2019 at 4:38 pm
My mother, Virginia Katherine Gardner Haight was a secretary’ to Senators Taft and Butler. She was photographed by Jackie Bouvier but not sure where the picture is or the time frame. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Coach Haight
March 4, 2019 at 8:33 pm
Hi, Mary! How amazing! We’d be happy to help you find the story– I’ll be in touch via email. Thanks again for your message and for reading!