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John F. Kennedy (1917–1963) -

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is named after the 35th President of the United States. But the Kennedy Center, as it's often referred to, initially went by a different name. 

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Eleanor Roosevelt's vision -

It was Eleanor Roosevelt who, back in 1933, discussed the idea of a national cultural center with the Emergency Relief and Civil Works Administration.  

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Acting on an idea -

The first lady's idea was to create employment opportunities for out of work actors during the Great Depression.

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Eisenhower gets the project moving -

In September 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed into law the National Cultural Center Act, which provided momentum for the project. 

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Edward Durell Stone (1902–1978) -

Edward Durell Stone was selected as architect for the project in June 1959. His previous works included the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. 

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JFK takes oath of office -

On January 20, 1961 in Washington, D.C., John. F. Kennedy was sworn in as the 35th President of the United States. 

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United States National Cultural Center -

As the project started to take shape, Durell invited Kennedy to view a scale model of the proposed United States National Cultural Center in October, 1963.

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Kennedy is assassinated -

A month later, on November 22, 1963, President Kennedy was shot and killed in Dallas, Texas. 

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Name change -

After Kennedy's assassination, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed a bill renaming the proposed National Cultural Center the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts at the White House in January 1964. He's pictured handing one of the pens he used to Senator Edward Kennedy. 

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Costs spiral -

The costs involved in realizing the project had begun to spiral. Fundraising and donations helped to meet the outlay. Stone is pictured with Jean Kennedy Smith, a sister of the late President Kennedy, handing over a check. 

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Ground-breaking ceremony -

On December 2, 1964, with members of the Kennedy family looking on, President Johnson took part in the ground-breaking ceremony for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. 

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Jacqueline Kennedy's input -

From then on the slain president's widow, Jacqueline Kennedy, took a keen interest in the project. She'd already been recruited as honorary chairman of the center, with former First Lady Mamie Eisenhower drafted in as co-chairman. 

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Building work is completed -

Excavation of the site got underway in 1965, and was cleared by January 1967. By 1970 much of the construction had been completed. The total cost of the project was US$70 million ($586 million in 2025, adjusted for inflation).

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Kennedy Center opens its doors -

The Kennedy Center was officially inaugurated on September 8, 1971. It's location in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Washington, D.C., is very near the Watergate complex, which just 10 months later was the scene of the infamous burglary that led to the resignation of President Nixon in 1974. 

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Leonard Bernstein's 'Mass' -

'Mass,' a musical theater work by Leonard Bernstein, had been commissioned by Jacqueline Kennedy and was previewed to members of Congress before its public performance. The composer is seen with Joan Kennedy, wife of Senator Edward Kennedy. 

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Gala performance -

The formal gala and premiere performance of 'Mass' took place on the evening of September 9, 1971, in the Opera Hall. 

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Kennedy family take center stage -

Kennedy family matriarch Rose Kennedy and Edward Kennedy are pictured in the presidential box applauding during the center's opening gala. 

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Inauguration of the Concert Hall -

The following night the Concert Hall was inaugurated with a performance by the National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Antal Doráti.

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Inauguration of the Eisenhower Theater -

The Eisenhower Theater was inaugurated on October 18, 1971, with a performance of 'A Doll's House' starring English actress Claire Bloom. In 1973, she appeared in the film version alongside Anthony Hopkins.  

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Inaugural Kennedy Center Honors -

In 1978, the Kennedy Center Honors were established. The annual honors are given to those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to American culture. In that inaugural year, Marian Anderson, Fred Astaire, George Balanchine, Richard Rodgers, and Arthur Rubinstein were recognized, with President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter presenting the accolades. 

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Honoring the full spectrum of performing arts -

The building lights up in rainbow colors every night during the Kennedy Center Honors event, reflecting the rainbow-colored ribbon hung around the necks of the recipients and representing the full spectrum of the performing arts. 

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Kennedy Center Honors 2024 -

Francis Ford Coppola, Grateful Dead members Bobby Weir and Mickey Hart, Bonnie Raitt, Arturo Sandoval, and the Apollo Theater were the honorees in 2024. The special award presented to the Apollo Theater marked the first time an institution had been recognized. Joe Biden presided over the ceremony.

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JFK centennial year -

In May of 2016, the center kicked off the JFK centennial year, celebrating the 100th birthday of America's 35th President and honoring his legacy. Pictured is a bust of Kennedy by Robert Berks located opposite the entrance to the Opera House. 

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Fiftieth anniversary celebrations -

In December of 2019, Congress passed a Sense of the Congress recognizing 2021 as the 50th anniversary of the opening of the center, which today is renowned globally for showcasing the best of American performing arts. 

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'Art And Ideals: President John F. Kennedy' -

'Art And Ideals: President John F. Kennedy,' inaugurated in 2022, is a permanent exhibition dedicated to President John F. Kennedy's relationship with art. 

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"Art is the great democrat" -

Kennedy believed in the vital role of the arts in American life as sincerely as he believed in public service. "Art is the great democrat," he wrote, "calling forth creative genius from every sector of society, disregarding race or religion or wealth or color."

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Trump makes changes -

In February 2025, Deborah Rutter was dismissed as Kennedy Center president along with the center's board members after President Donald Trump was made chairman of the organization. Trump replaced the board with political loyalists and named his longtime foreign policy adviser, Richard Grenell, as interim executive director of the storied music, theater, and dance institution. 

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Trump tours the venue -

In March, Trump visited the center for the first time since promoting himself to the position. He is proposing a more mainstream program of shows and events.  

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Protest and opposition -

In the wake of the Trump-led changes, several performers cancelled shows at the iconic Washington venue. These included a growing number of LGBTQ artists and musicians. 

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'Hamilton' cancels Kennedy Center run -

The hit Broadway show 'Hamilton' (pictured here in 2015 on opening night) is among the productions that cancelled dates at the Kennedy Center in protest. 

Sources: (The Kennedy Center) (Reuters) (Sky News) (Pentagram) (Washington Blade) 

See also: The biggest decisions made by Trump's administration (so far). 

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