Skip to main content
The Stuart and Mimi Rose Collection /

John F. Kennedy

Item 7A

Profiles in Courage

1956
Galley Proofs
Corrected by the Author

These are galley proofs of Profiles in Courage, one of the most famous books written by an American president, and also corrected by the author, then-Senator John F. Kennedy. Developed from a magazine article on famous senators authored by Kennedy in 1954, the book tells the stories of Kennedy’s great predecessors in the Senate: John Quincy Adams, Daniel Webster, Thomas Hart Benton, Sam Houston, Edmund Ross, L. Q. C. Lamar, George Norris, and Robert A. Taft. The book won the Pulitzer Prize for biography in 1957.

The open title page of a book titled
A black leather book cover with a pebbled texture. In the bottom right corner, a gold embossed seal features an eagle with outstretched wings, clutching arrows and an olive branch, indicative of the United States presidential seal. The edges of the folder are slightly worn.
Close-up image of a manuscript with slightly worn yellowed pages. The lying flat on a light-colored surface with a prominent fold bending the pages, and the visible pages feature printed text in English. Handwritten annotations are present in pencil on one of the margins, and frayed edges are noticeable on the pages.
A manuscript displaying the start of Chapter One, titled

What will you discover next?

Ian Fleming Dr. No
A worn, yellow-green book cover adorned with a repeating pattern of circular watermark-like emblems.

Another example of a well-known author’s edits?

Go To Item 7D

Thomas Jefferson Notes on the State of Virginia
An open antique book with aged, yellowed pages. The left page has a handwritten note that reads,

Another book written by an auther who would become president?

Go To Item 6A

Return to Rose Collection
A vibrant, symmetrical collage features historical black-and-white photographs of three individuals encircled with colorful floral patterns. The background is filled with intricate designs of butterflies and geometric shapes in shades of teal, coral, and beige.

Return to the Rose Collection

Visit the Folger to see this object on exhibit

Imprints in Time

Imprints in Time

This special exhibition at the Folger features rare books from the collection of Stuart and Mimi Rose that present literary, cultural, and historical high points.
Through Sun, Jan 5, 2025
Plan your visit
Rose Exhibition Hall