This Harvard speech may be the earliest known recording of JFK
The late president was 20 years old at the time.
Harvard University has released what is believed to be the first known recording of former President John F. Kennedy.
Kennedy was 20 years old at the time of the 1937 recording, which was uncovered and restored by a Harvard archivist, WBUR reports. It’s included in an exhibit at the Harvard Archives that details Kennedy’s time as a student at the university.
The recording found at Kennedy’s alma mater predates any recordings held at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.
In the recording, Kennedy addresses his public speaking class about the controversial appointment of Hugo Black to the Supreme Court by former President Franklin D. Roosevelt. After taking the oath of office, Black was revealed to have ties to the Ku Klux Klan.
Kennedy’s speech was recorded by his professor, Clifton Packard, according to WBUR.
Listen to the full recording here.
