Ethel Kennedy

Early Life and Family Background

 
Ethel Skakel Kennedy was born on April 11, 1928, in Chicago, Illinois. The sixth of seven children, she was born into a wealthy Catholic family. Her father, George Skakel, had risen from a humble beginning as an $8-a-week railroad clerk to become a successful businessman, founding the Great Lakes Carbon Corporation. Her mother, Ann Brannack Skakel, was a former teacher who became involved in civic and charitable affairs.
 
In 1934, when Ethel was five, the family moved east, eventually settling in Greenwich, Connecticut in 1936. There, her father purchased a grand English country manor house, providing Ethel and her siblings with a privileged upbringing.
 

Education and Formative Years

 
Ethel attended Greenwich Academy and later the Convent of the Sacred Heart in New York. In 1945, she began her studies at Manhattanville College of the Sacred Heart, where she met Jean Kennedy, who would become her close friend and roommate. It was through Jean that Ethel was introduced to her future husband, Robert F. Kennedy.
 

Marriage to Robert F. Kennedy

 
Ethel’s relationship with Robert Kennedy began after he stopped dating her sister Patricia. They became engaged in February 1950 and married on June 17, 1950, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Greenwich. Their union would produce eleven children, with Ethel gaining a reputation for her energetic and sometimes chaotic household management at their Virginia estate, Hickory Hill.
 

Political Life and Tragedy

 
Ethel enthusiastically supported her husband’s political career, campaigning for John F. Kennedy’s presidential run and later for Robert’s senatorial and presidential bids. She was known for her vivacious personality and ability to connect with voters.
 
Tragedy struck in 1968 when Robert was assassinated during his presidential campaign. Ethel, who was pregnant with their eleventh child at the time, faced the unimaginable task of raising her large family alone while dealing with her grief.
 

Activism and Legacy

 
Following her husband’s death, Ethel channeled her energy into continuing his work. In 1968, she founded the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights (now Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights). This organization became her primary focus, advocating for social justice, human rights, and poverty reduction globally.
 
Ethel’s activism extended beyond the foundation. She marched with Cesar Chavez for labor rights, took part in environmental clean-ups, and advocated for gun control. Her efforts were recognized in 2014 when President Barack Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
 

Personal Challenges and Resilience

 
Ethel faced further personal tragedies with the deaths of two of her sons: David in 1984 from a drug overdose, and Michael in 1997 in a skiing accident. Despite these losses, she remained committed to her family and her causes.
 

Later Years and Death

 
Ethel Kennedy continued her activism well into her later years. She never remarried, citing her Catholic faith and devotion to Robert’s memory. On October 10, 2024, Ethel passed away at the age of 96 due to complications related to a stroke.
 
Ethel Kennedy’s life was marked by both privilege and profound loss, but it was her resilience and dedication to social causes that defined her legacy. From her early days as a political spouse to her later years as a respected activist, she remained a powerful force in American public life, embodying the Kennedy family’s commitment to public service.