This month marks the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy's assassination, but Susan Bellows would prefer you observe the date by remembering the president's life, not his death.
Bellows produced and directed "JFK," an episode of American Express on PBS. The film coincides with Kennedy's Nov. 22 assassination and explores his life from birth to hours before his death.
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"When we're marking his death, it's really powerful to take a moment and figure out who he was and appreciate his life," Bellows said.
The documentary won't air until next week, but PBS released bonus footage exclusively to Mashable. The clip, which you can watch above, discusses First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy's relationship with the president and her White House duties during her husband's presidency.
A former Kennedy legislative assistant explains that one of the First Lady's first projects involved raising $1 million to renovate the White House. Her passion for the project was clear; once, while discussing civil rights with the president, Martin Luther King, Jr. ran into a soot-covered Jackie, eager to discuss her ideas for furniture.
The two-part documentary explores the various facets of Kennedy's life and especially emphases his transformation into a politician.
"He wasn't always a political natural," Bellows said. "He always had charisma. He was always a fun, independent thinker that people liked to follow. But he wasn't always as skillful of a politician as some of us imagine."
Bellows hopes the documentary gives audience a "more complete understanding" of Kennedy and his presidency, as his influence can still be felt in today's world.
"His life being cut short like that has left a mark on American society," she said. "He was inspirational to a generation of Americans. He wrote a playbook on how to run for the American presidency that people are still using today," she said.
"JFK" airs in two two-hour parts on Nov. 11 and Nov. 12 at 9 p.m. ET on PBS. A 30-minute preview of the documentary launched online on Monday.
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Credit: Courtesy of the John F. Kennedy Library