The Kennedys timeline

Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy is born in Boston

Kennedy was born at St. Margaret's Hospital in the Dorchester section of Boston, Massachusetts, the youngest of nine children of Joseph P. Kennedy,... Read more

Edward Kennedy is Caught Cheating on an Exam and Leaves Harvard

Chatter about how Ted had been kicked out of Harvard for cheating — proof in many minds of his inferior ability — finally forced JFK to intercede.... Read more

Edward Kennedy Marries Virginia Joan Bennett

While still in law school, Kennedy met Virginia Joan Bennett, known as Joan, while delivering a speech at Manhattanville College in October 1957.... Read more

Edward Kennedy is Elected US Senator from Massachusetts

Many people expected Ted to drop his Senate plans. The Kennedy advisers in Washington certainly hoped he would. They especially dreaded a bruising... Read more

Edward Kennedy Survives Plane Crash with Broken Back

On June 19, 1964, Kennedy was a passenger in a private Aero Commander 680 from Washington to Massachusetts that crashed on final approach into an... Read more

Ted Kennedy Wins Passage of a Bill Establishing the National Teacher Corps as Part of the Higher Education Act

The Higher Education Act of 1965 (Pub. L. No. 89-329) (the "HSA") was legislation signed into United States law on November 8, 1965 as part of... Read more

Robert F. Kennedy Assassinated

Shortly after midnight on June 5, 1968 and following a short victory speech in the Embassy Room ballroom of The Ambassador Hotel, Senator Robert F.... Read more

Edward Kennedy Delivers Eulogy at Brother Robert's Funeral

Ted spent much of the night before Bobby's funeral driving around New York with his close college friend and former aide, John Culver, who was now... Read more

The Chappaquiddick Bridge Incident

At Chappaquiddick, having been drinking and partying with young women aides of his brother Robert Kennedy, Senator Kennedy, at this time a married... Read more

Edward Kennedy Delivers a Televised Address Explaining his Actions at Chappaquiddick

On July 25, Kennedy pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident and was given a sentence of two months in jail, suspended. That night, he... Read more

Edward Kennedy Announces Candidacy for 1980 Presidential Nomination

Kennedy finally threw his hat into the ring for the Democratic nomination in the 1980 presidential election by launching an unusual, insurgent... Read more

Ted Kennedy Authors the Refugee Act of 1980

The Refugee Act is a 1980 United States federal law that reformed United States immigration law and admitted refugees on systematic basis for... Read more

Edward Kennedy Withdraws Bid for Presidency

For me, a few hours ago, this campaign came to an end. For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the... Read more

Edward Kennedy Delivers "Robert Bork's America" Speech, Earning Him the Title of 'Liberal Lion'

Robert Bork's America is a land in which women would be forced into back-alley abortions, blacks would sit at segregated lunch counters, rogue... Read more

Edward Kennedy's Nephew, William Kennedy Smith, is Accused of Rape After Attending Night Club with His Uncle

In 1991, Smith was tried and acquitted on a charge of rape. He was represented by prominent Miami-based criminal defense attorney Roy Black. The... Read more

A Conservative Political Group Files Ethics Complaint Against Edward Kennedy Relating to His Nephew's Alleged Rape

A conservative political group filed an ethics complaint yesterday against Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, saying that he violated Senate rules by his... Read more

A Senate Ethics Committee Dismisses Allegations of Sexual Harassment and Drug Use Against Edward Kennedy

The Senate Ethics Committee said yesterday that it had found no support for a former aide's allegations that Sen. Edward M. Kennedy had sexually... Read more

Major Health Care Bill, Sponsored by Edward Kennedy and Nancy Kassebaum, is Signed into Law

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act shows what happens as Sen. Kassebaum said and Sen. Kennedy said when we work together, when... Read more

No Child Left Behind, Co-Sponsored by Edward Kennedy, is Signed into Law by George W. Bush

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Pub.L. 107-110, 115 Stat. 1425, enacted January 8, 2002), often abbreviated in print as NCLB and sometimes... Read more

Edward Kennedy Calls Iraq "George Bush's Vietnam"

Senator Edward M. Kennedy said yesterday that President Bush's Iraq policy is ''ridiculous" and disputed Bush's statement that the 2004 reelection... Read more

Senator Edward Kennedy's Longtime Goal of Raising Federal Minimum Wage is Realized

With little fanfare, Congress yesterday approved the first increase in the federal minimum wage in nearly a decade, voting to boost wages for... Read more

Edward Kennedy Announces Endorsement of Barack Obama in 2008 Presidential Race

Kennedy initially stated that he would support John Kerry again should he run for president in 2008, but in January 2007, Kerry said he would not.... Read more

Edward Kennedy Diagnosed with Cancerous Brain Tumor

On May 17, 2008, Kennedy suffered a seizure, and then another one as he was rushed from the Kennedy Compound to Cape Cod Hospital and then by... Read more

Edward Kennedy Addresses DNC in Denver

The operation and follow-up treatments left Kennedy thinner, prone to seizures, weak and short on energy, and hurt his balance. Kennedy made his... Read more

Edward Kennedy Attends Obama Inauguration but Collapses at Celebratory Luncheon

Kennedy's office confirmed that on Wednesday morning he left Washington Hospital Center, where he had been resting overnight for observation. A... Read more