Jean Ann Kennedy Smith (February 20, 1928 – June 17, 2020) was an American diplomat, activist, humanitarian,[1] and author who served as United States Ambassador to Ireland from 1993 to 1998.

In 2011, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States, by President Barack Obama for her work with VSA and with people with disabilities.

Jean Ann Kennedy was born on February 20, 1928, at St. Margaret's Center for Women and Children in the Dorchester section of Boston, Massachusetts, on her elder sister Kathleen Cavendish, Marchioness of Hartington's eighth birthday.

She attended Manhattanville College (at the time a Society of the Sacred Heart school, and still located in Purchase, New York), where she befriended future sisters-in-law Ethel Kennedy (who married Jean's older brother Robert in 1950) and Joan Bennett Kennedy (who married Jean's younger brother Ted in 1958).

She and her siblings helped John knock on doors in primary states such as West Virginia and Wisconsin, and on the campaign trail played the role of sister more than volunteer, citing her parents' family lesson of "working together for something".

[12] Smith and her husband were present at The Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles on June 5, 1968, during the assassination of her older brother Robert F. Kennedy, after he had won the 1968 California Democratic primary.

[21] In 1994, Smith came to the forefront of American foreign policy when she championed the granting of a U.S. visa to Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams.

[22] In her brother Ted's memoir, he described that "Jean was convinced that Adams no longer believed that continuing the armed struggle was the way to achieve the IRA's objective of a united Ireland", and that "It took only a couple of hours' conversation with Jean after we landed to discover what was the most important thing on her mind – the opportunity for a breakthrough in the Northern Ireland stalemate".

[23] However, Irish Central later acknowledged that President Clinton had, in fact, made a promise during his presidential campaign to grant Adams a visa.

The United States Department of Justice issued a press release on September 22, 2000, announcing that she had paid $5,000 in a civil settlement to resolve the allegations.

[31] In 2007, Smith received the Gold Medal Award from the Éire Society of Boston[32] for her peace efforts in Northern Ireland and for her humanitarian work with disabled children.

[33] In February 2011, President Barack Obama awarded Smith the Presidential Medal of Freedom,[34][35] the nation's highest civilian honor, for her work with people with disabilities.

[38][39] On May 19, 1956, Jean Kennedy married businessman Stephen Edward Smith in the Lady Chapel of St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York.