Ceremony marks JFK’s 100th birthday

BOSTON >> The life and legacy of President John F. Kennedy, who died at 46, will be celebrated on the day he would have turned 100.

The United States Postal Service plans to commemorate Kennedy’s centennial Monday with a dedication of a new JFK postage stamp in Brookline, Massachusetts, a Boston suburb where the late president was born on May 29, 1917. USPS Boston Postmaster Nick Francescucci and representatives from the John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site— JFK’s birthplace and childhood home —are expected to attend.

Joe Kennedy III, a greatnephew of JFK, is expected to deliver the keynote at a ceremony held at the U.S. National Park on Monday afternoon. The Democratic U.S. representative told The Associated Press this month that many of his colleagues in Washington tell him they were inspired into public service because of JFK.

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston will hold a birthday celebration that includes a f lyover from the U. S. Navy and a cake that was made by the family of the baker who made the engagement cake for then- Sen. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier, according to executive director Steven Rothstein.

The museum unveiled a new exhibit Friday featuring 100 original artifacts, documents, and photographs from Kennedy’s life and political career. It’s held several events this weekend to honor Kennedy’s legacy.

“There’s no one issue or one event that we could do to highlight the different facets of (Kennedy),” Rothstein said. “Many of his key ideas are timeless. We fundamentally believe that JFK is a visionary who never goes out of style.”

AP FILE PHOTOS In this Feb. 27, 1959file photo, Sen. John F. Kennedy, D-Mass., is shown in his office in Washington. Monday, May 29, 2017marks the 100-year anniversary of the birth of Kennedy, who went on to become the 35th President of the United States.

In this June 5, 1961file photo, Queen Elizabeth II poses with U.S. President John F. Kennedy, before a state dinner at Buckingham Palace. At left is the Duke of Edinburgh and Kennedy’s wife, Jackie, is at second left.

In this June 3, 1961, file photo, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev and President John F. Kennedy talk in the residence of the U.S. Ambassador in a suburb of Vienna. The meeting was part of a series of talks during their summit meetings in Vienna.

President John F. Kennedy delivers his inaugural address after taking the oath of office on Capitol Hill in Washington. Monday, May 29, 2017marks the 100year anniversary of his birth.

In this Dec. 18, 1961 file photo, President John F. Kennedy heads for Washington after an overnight stopover in West Palm Beach, Fla., where he rested after his Latin American tour due to a heavy cold.

In this Dec. 13, 1961file photo, President John F. Kennedy and his wife, Jacqueline, pose in front of the Christmas tree in the Blue Room of the White House in Washington.