Fifty years ago, John F. “Jack” Kennedy was riding in an open Lincoln limosine through Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas. Then he was shot to death in broad daylight, leaving a shell-shocked America to pick up the pieces.

The events that day ended a life, but began a legacy.

This legacy is the man who is remembered 50 years later not only for his achievements and indiscretions, but for his charisma, idealism, and  encouraging Americans to seize a more active role in their nation. His lifestyle and politics were guided by his belief that “one person can make a difference, and everyone should try.” His legacy, built on that foundation, is still relevant today in an America that calls for constant action and forward motion in a dynamic world.

In the years since his death JFK has been called many things, from war hero to philanderer to just "Jack." But he has consistently ranked as one of the most popular presidents of the United States.

The president-to-be was born in Brookline, Massachusetts on May 29, 1917. He was a sickly child who did not perform remarkably in school—his father once said, “I am not expecting too much, and I will not be disappointed if you don’t turn out to be a real genius.”

JFK became a traveler and a more successful scholar in his young adulthood, despite struggling with many bouts of illness and hospitalization. He traversed Europe first with a friend, then alongside his father. The elder Kennedy was working as an ambassador at the time, and would later finance his Harvard education.

JFK spent time in the military. He received an award for heroic conduct after leading his platoon to safety when a Japanese destroyer ship sliced their patrol torpedo boat in half. He even towed one team member to shore by gripping the man's life-vest strap in his teeth.

It was not until the death of his older brother, Joseph Kennedy, that JFK considered a career as a politician. He held positions in Congress before running for President in 1960.

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Kennedy’s campaign and presidency came in a time of new precedents. He remains the only Roman Catholic to hold the Executive Office. And the 1960 election campaign marked the first time that the presidential debates were televised. An interesting paradox followed the debates: Americans who listened to the debates on the radio believed Republican candidate Richard Nixon had won, while those who watched on TV believed the younger, healthier-looking Kennedy had won.

Kennedy began his presidency by striving to give America back to the people. He delivered one of the most famous inaugural speeches in history,  challenging Americans to "ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." It was a theme he returned to throughout his three short years in office, often addressing the public directly to ask for their engagement in the political process.

JFK’s presidency was marked with failures as well.

One of the worst points in JFK’s time in office was the Bay of Pigs disaster. Kennedy supported plans to invade Cuba, with plans that had been organized and initiated during the Eisenhower administration. The goal was to topple Cuban leader Fidel Castro. According to the JFK Library’s records, 1400 Cuban exiles invaded the Bay of Pigs on April 17, 1961, but were met with strong opposition from Castro’s army. Most were forced to flee or surrender. The failed invasion led to a 20-month negotiation between America and the Castro government for the release of the prisoners, which Castro eventually agreed to in exchange for $53 million worth of baby food and medical supplies.

JFK’s family life was also highly publicized. His wife Jackie Onasis Kennedy was well liked and widely considered a fashion icon. However, their wholesome family image was marred by constant accusations of Jack’s infidelity, most famously with actress Marilyn Monroe. 

Despite his self-admitted failure in his first year as president, and the scandal that marked his personal public image, JFK went on to create a lasting impression in the final years of his life. 

On June 11, 1963, JFK delivered one of his most powerful speeches, "The Address on Civil Rights," after two black students trying to register at the University of Alabama had to be escorted by the National Guard when the Alabama governor refused to step out of their way. As an avid supporter of integration, Kennedy took the opportunity to call once again on the American public for their help in realizing racial equality. 

He said "A great change is at hand, and our task, our obligation, is to make that revolution, that change, peaceful and constructive for all.” 

One of JFK’s most triumphant moments during his presidency was his response to the Cuban Missile Crisis. According to the JFK Library’s files, a US military plane took photos of a Soviet nuclear missile site in Cuba in October of 1962. Kennedy ordered a blockade to prevent the further shipment of nuclear weaponry and materials into Cuba and began negotiations with the Soviet Union.

The negotiations eventually led to the removal of the Soviet missile site, and the signing of the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in July of 1963. 

After the resolution had been reached, Kennedy addressed the American public, and said, “Our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal."

This statement, equal parts hopeful and somber, would prove to be true when Kennedy faced his own mortality later that year. 

His legacy was both guaranteed and forever marred on November 22, 1963 at 1:00 p.m. Standard Time. Two rifle shots that cut Kennedy's life short and shook the country to its core. Media coverage in the following days expressed shock and outrage and sadness as Americans struggled to come to terms with the sudden loss of their president. Lee Harvey Oswald’s mug shot was splashed briefly across the front pages of newspapers nation-wide, only to make headlines two days later when he was shot and killed by Jack Ruby.

Images of Jackie Kennedy, standing in her blood-spattered pink Chanel suit, and of young John Jr. saluting his father’s coffin, remain as somber reminders of the tragedy.

JFK was just a man, and like all men played different roles throughout his life. Some of these roles boosted his popularity, while others revealed the flaws that made him human. But one thing is certain: JFK left behind a take-action legacy that is still reflected in American society 50 years later, and a name that will be remembered for eons to come. 

Reach Staff Writer Kaitlyn Mullin here or follow her on Twitter here.