John F. Kennedy Jr., 1963
On November 25, 1963, three-year-old John F. Kennedy Jr. stood outside St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Washington, D.C. and saluted as his father’s funeral procession passed. The moment occurred on the young boy’s third birthday and became one of the most poignant images following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
The statue was conceived by Richard and Mrs. Alliberti of Everett, Massachusetts. Richard Alliberti had worked for the Everett Public Schools for 37 years as a teacher and guidance counselor. The couple commissioned their son, a sculptor professionally known as Richard Amadeo, to create the work. They then donated it to the students of Everett High School as a symbol of hope for the future and of enduring family and community values.
At the statue’s dedication in 2000, Senator Edward Kennedy wrote that the figure evoked powerful emotions for both the Kennedy family and the nation. He believed the young boy’s salute represented patriotism, respect and, above all, love for his father. In May 2014, the Everett School Committee formally donated the statue to Hyannis, connecting it with the Cape Cod community that had played such an important role in the Kennedy family’s life.
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