Kennedy Years: America's Camelot

At the West Baton Rouge Museum, this photography exhibit is timed to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the assassination of President Kennedy. Kennedy Years: America’s Camelot takes a look at the president whose young family inspired a cultural reassessment of the American way of life. Photojournalist Stanley Tretick was first sent by United Press International to follow the Kennedy campaign of 1960. The photographer befriended the candidate and took many of JFK's best pictures during this time. This exhibition of fifty of Tretick's photographs includes some of the most memorable images of America's Camelot and evokes the historical context in which it emerged. Tretick is best known today for the photographs he took of President Kennedy relaxing with his children. While Jackie Kennedy fought to maintain an umbrella of privacy for young Caroline and John, Jr., John Kennedy was well aware of the public relations value of images that depicted him as a family man with a moral agenda. Tretick's photographs of them, published in Look magazine from 1960—1964 helped define the American family of the early 1960s and lent Kennedy an endearing credibility that greatly contributed to his popularity. This exhibit includes over 50 of these photos in addition to magazines featuring other Tretick images from the time period, and newspapers and memorabilia related to JFK. 845 N. Jefferson Avenue, just a few minutes from downtown Baton Rouge. (225) 336-2422 or westbatonrougemuseum.com.