About John Brengman Expertise I am a history major in college and I am a politcs and current events junkie, so I can take a look at almost any situation in politics or the news and evaluate it against current trends in the countries involved, or how a given situation reflects the history of the contries involved. My specialization in history is American and European history, but I have also had a few courses dealing with Asia, and the Middle East.
Experience I have had classes dealing with US History, European History, the History of Mexico, History and Politics of Asia, and the War in Vietnam.
Education/Credentials AS - History, Casper College (2000)
Expert: John Brengman Date: 8/5/2003 Subject: Kennedy Paperwork
Question I recently came across two pieces of "Kennedymania" and am curious of their value if indeed there is any.
First of all is a letter addressed to Dear Friend, which appears to be a letter soliciting money to re-elect the then young senator from Massachusetts John F Kennedy. This letter is signed by larry O'Brien whose name I recognize as being his presedential campaign manage in the 196- election. I also have what appears to be a Christmas greeting on a Senate note card that says "Sincere thanks for your holiday greetings and best wishes for happiness in the New Year. Senator abd Mrs. John F. Kennedy-signed Best Wishes Jack
This card was sent on January 3 1958 and is postmarked Washington D.C. It is addressed to Mr. R.A. McNamara on 20th Street in Phoenix. I am not sure if this is THE Robert McNamara whose correct midle initial is S, or if this is actually someone else.
What I am looking for is a value of this pair of items.
Thank you for your time.
Answer ^.^
Hmm...
Let's look at each piece. I myself do not know actual values, but I might be able to point you in some directions.
Of course, one of the first places you might look would be the library of President John F. Kennedy.
The first item:
"...a letter addressed to Dear Friend, which appears to be a letter soliciting money to re-elect the then young senator from Massachusetts John F Kennedy. This letter is signed by larry O'Brien whose name I recognize as being his presedential campaign manage in the 196- election."
I'd have to find out when he ran for Senator. Was the letter from Kennedy's senatorial days, or was it from the Presidency. If I remember correctly, Kennedy was elected in 1960, and was probably going to stand for re-election in 1964, but was killed in Dallas in November of 1963. There could very well have been campaign contribution letters done the previous year for the gathering of funds.
So you have a letter, probably from 1963 about the Kennedy 1964 presidential election bid. Now, considering that such a thing NEVER HAPPENED, I would think that raises the historic value of the letter.
The next item:
"...a Christmas greeting on a Senate note card that says "Sincere thanks for your holiday greetings and best wishes for happiness in the New Year. Senator abd Mrs. John F. Kennedy-signed Best Wishes Jack
This card was sent on January 3 1958 and is postmarked Washington D.C. It is addressed to Mr. R.A. McNamara on 20th Street in Phoenix."
According to the eighth-grade project of Chris Linnemann, John F. Kennedy was elected to the Senate in 1953, the same year he married Jackie Kennedy, so the date of January 3, 1958 checks out and the reference to JFK as being a Senator at the time checks out too.
As to the R.A. McNamara, if the card was typed, then all you have to do is look at any keyboard for a possible explanation...the letters A and S are right next to each other, so a typo would be understandable. It may or may not reduce the value of the card...but it is understandable.
Now, while you might think that typing cards is kinda tacky, one would have to remember that perhaps Senator Kennedy had a BUNCH of the things to mail out. After all, I am thinking 48 or 49 states, perhaps the full 50, that's 94 to 100 Senators and who knows how many House reps he had befriended. So a typed card that could be copied easily is not out of the question.
And it is a known fact that some government offices issue Christmas Cards. The White House issues one every year, so it would not surprise me if Senatorial offices did not do the same.
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So, I believe that both letters probably have at least SOME value. The people to talk to would be the Kennedy library, which is at: http://www.cs.umb.edu/jfklibrary/
However, it all depends on what you want to do with the memorabilia. The Kennedy Library would certainly be the place to go if you're looking to possibly sell the material. A similar inquiry to a school with a museum of American history would probably result in a request to donate the items.
