John F. Kennedy’s mother, Rose Kennedy, had a project where she used to collect signatures of prestigious and noteworthy people to give out as gifts. Some of the autographs she obtained included Robert Frost, David Ben-Gurion, and President Dwight D. Eisenhower. In 1962, Rose even went so far as to request a signature from Soviet Union Premier Nikita Khrushchev shortly before the peak of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Once she obtained the signed photograph, which was of Khrushchev, President Kennedy, and First Lady Jackie Kennedy, she requested that her son sign the photo, as well. This prompted President Kennedy to write a letter to his mother, requesting that she ask permission before requesting autographs from any future world leaders.