Rosemary Kennedy's Forced Lobotomy: A Tragic Chapter in Medical History
Born on September 13, 1918, in Brookline, Massachusetts, Rosemary Kennedy was the third offspring of Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. and Rose Fitzgerald. A complication during her birth resulted in a lack of oxygen, leading to intellectual disabilities. The family chose to keep her condition hidden during the eugenics movement. In 1938, her father took on the role of U.S. Ambassador to the UK, where Rosemary met King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Following their return to the U.S. in 1940, her behavior deteriorated. At 23, in 1941, her father consented to a lobotomy performed by Dr. Walter Freeman and Dr. James Watts, rendering her unable to walk or speak. She remained at St. Coletta School in Wisconsin until her passing in 2005 at age 86, after which her siblings became advocates for disability rights.
Key facts
- Rosemary Kennedy was born on September 13, 1918, in Brookline, Massachusetts.
- A birth complication caused oxygen deprivation for two hours, leading to intellectual disabilities.
- In 1941, at age 23, she underwent a lobotomy performed by Dr. Walter Freeman and Dr. James Watts.
- The lobotomy was authorized by her father, Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., despite warnings.
- Rosemary was awake during the procedure and recited poetry before falling silent.
- She was left unable to walk or talk and was institutionalized at St. Coletta School in Wisconsin.
- The truth about the lobotomy was revealed in 1988 in Doris Kearns Goodwin's book The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys.
- Rosemary died of natural causes in 2005 at age 86 and was buried in Holyhood Cemetery, Brookline, Massachusetts.
Entities
Artists
- Rosemary Kennedy
- Joseph P. Kennedy Sr.
- Rose Fitzgerald
- John F. Kennedy
- Joseph P. Kennedy Jr.
- Kathleen Kennedy
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver
- Jean Kennedy Smith
- Ted Kennedy
- Patricia Kennedy
- Dr. Walter Freeman
- Dr. James Watts
- António Egas Moniz
- Thelma Hunt
- Doris Kearns Goodwin
- Anthony Shriver
- Timothy Shriver
- King George VI
- Queen Elizabeth
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Adolf Hitler
- Richard Sears
- Dorothy Wilding
- Angus McBean
- Waldemar Kaempffer
- Harris A. Ewing
- Sillerkiil
Institutions
- Kennedy Family
- Sacred Heart Convent
- Belmont House
- St. Coletta School of Exceptional Children
- Camp Shriver
- Special Olympics
- Very Special Arts
- Best Buddies
- American Medical Association
- John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum
- Wikimedia Commons
- Saturday Evening Post
- London News Agency Photos Ltd.
- Trondheim Justice Museum
Locations
- Brookline
- Massachusetts
- United States
- United Kingdom
- London
- Elmhurst
- Providence
- Rhode Island
- Buckingham Palace
- Jefferson
- Wisconsin
- Hyannis Port
- Holyhood Cemetery
- Trondheim
- Norway