The DC History Center was recently the recipient of a $100,000 unrestricted gift from the estate of Marthajane Kennedy (1921-2020). Though none of us had the chance to get to know Ms. Kennedy during her lifetime, we are deeply touched and grateful for this unexpected and generous gift. This blog post is just a small tribute to Ms. Kennedy and her remarkable philanthropic legacy at the DC History Center.
Here is a little more about Marthajane, drawn from her obituary:
Marthajane Kennedy was born on December 17, 1921, in Washington, DC, to Thomas and Clephane Arnot Kennedy. After attending the Maret School, Marthajane graduated from Goucher College and Washington College of Music, magna cum laude.
Ms. Kennedy fondly remembered childhood trips abroad with her parents by ocean liner, and continued her travels well into her later years. She never married or had any children, but enjoyed many friends throughout her life.
In 1925, her father founded the Benjamin Franklin University in Washington, DC, and it was the first American school dedicated solely to the instruction of accounting. Ms. Kennedy served as president of BFU for many years.
She was a lifelong patron of the arts, and loved dogs. As a child, she had a bulldog named Happy, a name that aptly described Ms. Kennedy herself, even through her last days.
Marthajane Kennedy died September 9, 2020 at her home in Gulf Stream, Florida. She was 98.