Perry, Charles, 1698-1780

Charles Perry (1917- ), a trained musician, wrote and composed "The Kennedy Prayer," a dedicatory to John F. Kennedy upon the occasion of the latter's assassination in 1963. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Perry attended Cleveland public schools, served in the U. S. Army during World War II and then attended Miller's Music Academy in Cleveland. Upon completion of the song, Perry sent copies of his copyrighted composition to the President's widow, Jacqueline Kennedy, and to the U. S. Attorney General, Robert F. Kennedy. As a result, a copy of the song is now housed in the John F. Kennedy Memorial Library in Boston, Massachusetts. Perry also sent copies of the song to entertainers, government officials, and heads of state.

From the guide to the Charles Perry Papers, 1964-1993, (Western Reserve Historical Society)

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