Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts died August 25 at the age of 77. He was second in longetivity in the U.S. Senate behind Robert C. Bird of West Viriginia, having been elected to eight terms.

An icon for many liberals and often a target for conservatives, he nonetheless was known for “crossing the aisle” to achieve bipartisan support for legislation. The senator’s legacy includes his work on the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act. He narrowly lost the Democratic nomination for the presidency to Jimmy Carter of Georgia in 1980. His reputation was permanently tarnished after a young woman drowned when the car he was driving went off the road at Chappiquiddick in 1969 and he delayed reporting the accident.

GreatHistory.com also recently reported on the death of Eunice Kennedy Shriver and the legacy of the Kennedy ladies.

About the Author: I regard historic research as a never-ending Easter egg hunt: You never know where you'll find a hidden treasure. Growing up with parents who told stories of family history probably had a lot to do with that. I realized early on that history is about lives already lived. I've met war veterans, early aviators, friends of Abraham Lincoln's in-laws, and a host of others who shared their histories with me – and it was never boring!

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