What Is the “Kennedy Curse”?

The “Kennedy Curse” refers to a long string of deaths, accidents, and calamities that have struck the Kennedy family—America’s most renowned political dynasty—starting with the generation of Joseph P. Sr. and continuing to multiple subsequent descendants.

The term gained cultural traction following the 1969 Chappaquiddick incident, when Senator Ted Kennedy himself mused whether “some awful curse did actually hang over all the Kennedys.”

Chronicle of the Kennedy Tragedies

Major tragedies fueling the curse narrative include:

• Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. died in a WWII plane explosion in 1944.
• Kathleen “Kick” Kennedy succumbed to a plane crash in 1948.
• Senator John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963.
• Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1968.
• Ted Kennedy survived a 1964 plane crash and then the notorious Chappaquiddick accident in 1969, which resulted in the death of Mary Jo Kopechne.
• In later decades, David Kennedy died of a drug overdose (1984), Michael Kennedy died in a skiing accident (1997), and John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife, and sister-in-law perished in a plane crash (1999).
• Kara Kennedy (2011), Saoirse Kennedy Hill (2019), and Maeve Kennedy McKean and her son Gideon (2020)—all family members—died tragically in separate incidents.

Beyond Accident: Mental Illness, Scandal, and Suicide

Kennedy’s history also includes life-altering events that extend the narrative:

• Rosemary Kennedy underwent a lobotomy in 1941 that left her permanently incapacitated.
• Several family members became involved in public scandals, including William Kennedy Smith’s high-profile rape trial.
• Cases of suicide and addiction—from Mary Richardson Kennedy to Saoirse Kennedy Hill—have further compounded the public’s sense that this family is uniquely haunted.

Rooted in Hubris—or Just Rare Misfortune?

While some interpret these events as the work of a supernatural curse, skeptics argue that statistical probability suggests a large, public family is more susceptible to misfortune.

In his book The Kennedy Curse, Author Edward Klein proposes that the root of these tragedies lies in a psychological or genetic predisposition—an unchecked combination of ambition, risk-taking, and poor decision-making—rather than the paranormal.

Continued Public Fascination

The Kennedy family’s blend of public achievement, political power, and deeply personal loss continues to captivate America. While tragedy has defined them as much as triumph—spanning from civil rights milestones to modern scandals—the narrative of the “Kennedy Curse” remains embedded in cultural memory.

Whether viewed as myth or metaphor, it highlights how human tragedy intertwines with public life in rare and haunting ways.

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