{"product_id":"10071-history-kennedy-john-f-the-earliest-known-signed-photograph-of-kennedy-inscribed-in-high-school-to-his-lifelong-best-friend-lem","title":"[History] Kennedy, John F. (1917–1963) The Earliest Known Signed Photograph of Kennedy, inscribed in high school  to his lifelong best friend, Lem.","description":"Choate Graduation Portrait of John F. Kennedy inscribed \"To Lemmer [Kirk Lemoyne Billings] the gayest son I know -In memory of two tense years and in hopes of many more- your old Pal and supporter! Ken\" also signed by the photographer and dated 1935. 7 1\/2 x 5 inches. 13 1\/2 x 10 inches framed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlready displaying his movie-star good looks, it is easy to see in the 18-year-old Kennedy's face and playful, somewhat cryptic and charged inscription, the face and character that would become the now-familiar President Kennedy. Of the thousands of signed JFK photos known to exist, this is the earliest.  It is also a most remarkable testament to the in some ways highly surprising fact that Kennedy was able to ignore the mores of the day and keep such a close association with a closeted gay man. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I’m not that kind of boy,” Jack had angrily written to Lem after his friend made a sexual advance early in their friendship. But Jack didn’t end the relationship. From the time John F. Kennedy and Kirk LeMoyne “Lem” Billings met at Choate - the 'tense' years of the photograph's inscription - until the President’s assassination thirty years later, Jack and Lem remained best friends. Lem was a virtual fixture in the Kennedy family who even had his own room at the White House.  The history of their friendship is detailed in the book  \"Jack and Lem: John F. Kennedy and Lem Billings: The Untold Story of an Extraordinary Friendship,\" (David Pitts, Da Capo Press, 2008) and the present photograph is described in detail in this volume.","brand":"Schubertiade Music and Arts","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46093409976479,"sku":"10071","price":30000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0512\/4826\/7423\/files\/JFK_earliest_SP_10071a1.jpg?v=1722187843","url":"https:\/\/www.schubertiademusic.com\/products\/10071-history-kennedy-john-f-the-earliest-known-signed-photograph-of-kennedy-inscribed-in-high-school-to-his-lifelong-best-friend-lem","provider":"Schubertiade Music and Arts","version":"1.0","type":"link"}