Thursday, March 19, 1959

Famous Five

JFK dazzled his Senate colleagues while giving remarks during the portrait unveiling of the “Famous Five,” a group of the most influential senators in Unites States history.

The ceremony was held in the Senate Reception Room and was attended by nearly the entire Senate and 50 or so selected guests. The presentation was led by the Senator Carl Hayden, the most senior Democrat in the Senate. The selections of the chosen senators was made by a committee that was led by Kennedy.

After the opening prayer and remarks by representatives from the Senate Democratic and Republican leadership, including Illinois Senator Everett Dirksen, the program moved onto the speeches by the three featured speakers, who would all become United States Presidents – Richard Nixon, Lyndon Baines Johnson, and John F. Kennedy.