JFK Gave All of His Presidential, Congressional Salaries to Charity

Stories about John F. Kennedy, who served as U.S. president from Jan. 20, 1961 until he was assassinated on Nov. 22, 1963, frequently make their way around the internet devoid of citations. While memes cut from the same cloth are commonly either misinformation or outright lies, one tidbit—that Kennedy donated his entire presidential salary to charity—turns out to be true.

When Kennedy took office, he was the richest man ever to do so. Born into wealth and prestige—the Kennedy family fortune was valued at approximately $1 billion, and Kennedy himself lived off a $10 million trust fund—Kennedy refused his presidential salary, deciding instead to donate the money to charity.