Biography Share this Page Tweet Share
John Forbes Kerry was a Senator from Massachusetts. Born in Fitzsimons Army Hospital (Colorado), he graduated Yale University in 1966 and served in the United States Navy from 1966-1970, with service in Vietnam. He graduated from Boston College Law School in 1976 and was admitted to the Massachusetts bar in 1976 and commenced practice in 1976. He was assistant district attorney of Middlesex County, MA, from 1977-1982 and lieutenant governor of Massachusetts from 1982-1984. He was elected to the United States Senate in 1984 and subsequently appointed to the remainder of the term left vacant by the resignation of Paul Tsongas. He took the oath of office on January 2, 1985, and was reelected in 1990, 1996, 2002, and again in 2008. He served from January 2, 1985, until his resignation on February 1, 2013, to accept the position of Secretary of State under President Barack Obama.