Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis began professional work in 1951 as the Washington Times-Herald's inquiring photographer, taking pictures and asking residents about current issues for a newspaper column. After marrying John F. Kennedy in 1953, she supported his political career while raising their family. During the 1960 presidential campaign she answered correspondence, gave interviews, recorded appearances, and wrote a syndicated column while pregnancy limited her travel.

As first lady from 1961 to 1963, she made historical preservation and the arts central to her public role. She organized the restoration of the White House, recruited specialists, established its Fine Arts Committee, and helped create the White House Historical Association. A curator and a guidebook supported the effort to treat its furnishings and collections as a record of national history. Her televised tour in 1962 introduced that work to a vast audience and earned a special Emmy Award.

Kennedy also organized cultural events that brought writers, musicians, artists, and other public figures to the White House. Her foreign visits, including journeys to India and Pakistan, gave her an independent diplomatic presence. Following her husband's assassination in November 1963, she helped plan his state funeral and later worked to establish his presidential library, selecting I. M. Pei as its architect. These activities shaped remembrance of the presidency.

After the death of her second husband, Aristotle Onassis, she entered publishing in New York in 1975. She worked first at Viking Press and then at Doubleday, developing a sustained career as an editor rather than merely serving as a celebrity adviser. Her interests encompassed illustrated books, history, biography, and the performing arts. She also supported historic preservation beyond Washington, including the campaign to protect Grand Central Terminal. Editorial work continued until her final illness in 1994, extending her professional life.