By the fall of 1963, President John F. Kennedy, a beacon of hope and progress for many, was already setting the stage for his 1964 re-election campaign. While an official announcement was pending, it was widely understood that Kennedy would seek a second term, and his advisors were actively strategizing for a resounding victory. His confidence was palpable, fueled by his vision for a “New Frontier” and his charismatic appeal.
In late September 1963, President Kennedy embarked on a cross-country tour, traversing nine states in under a week. Officially, the trip was designed to highlight the importance of natural resources and conservation. However, it also served as a platform for Kennedy to test campaign themes for the upcoming election. Education, national security, and the pursuit of world peace were recurring motifs in his speeches, resonating with a nation eager for progress and stability amidst the Cold War tensions.
Campaigning in Texas: Setting the Stage for Tragedy
The following month, President Kennedy continued his campaign efforts with addresses to Democratic gatherings in Boston and Philadelphia. Crucially, on November 12th, he convened a pivotal political planning session specifically for the 1964 election. During this meeting, Kennedy emphasized the strategic importance of securing victories in Florida and Texas, outlining his intention to visit both states within the next two weeks.
Accompanying him on this crucial Texas tour would be First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. This trip marked her return to the public eye after the heartbreaking loss of their infant son, Patrick, in August. On November 21st, President and Mrs. Kennedy boarded Air Force One, commencing a two-day, five-city tour across Texas.
President Kennedy was acutely aware of the fractured political landscape within Texas, where internal disputes among Democratic party leaders threatened to undermine his chances of winning the state in 1964. A primary objective of his visit was to unify these factions and rally support. Furthermore, he recognized the presence of a vocal and extremist minority in Texas, particularly in Dallas, known for its ultra-conservative political climate. Just a month prior, Adlai Stevenson, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, had been physically attacked in Dallas after delivering a speech, highlighting the existing political animosity. Despite these potential challenges, JFK seemed to embrace the opportunity to engage directly with the American people and navigate the complexities of the political arena outside of Washington D.C.
Their first Texan stop was San Antonio, where they were greeted by Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, Governor John B. Connally, and Senator Ralph W. Yarborough. The welcoming party accompanied the President to Brooks Air Force Base for the dedication of the Aerospace Medical Health Center. Continuing to Houston, President Kennedy addressed the League of United Latin American Citizens and delivered remarks at a testimonial dinner for Congressman Albert Thomas, concluding the day in Fort Worth.
Morning in Fort Worth: A Glimpse of Hope Before the Storm
Friday morning, November 22nd, dawned with a light rain in Fort Worth. Despite the weather, a crowd of several thousand people gathered in the parking lot of the Texas Hotel, where the Kennedys had spent the night. A makeshift platform had been erected, and President Kennedy, without any protection from the rain, emerged to address the enthusiastic crowd. “There are no faint hearts in Fort Worth,” he began, acknowledging their dedication. “And I appreciate your being here this morning. Mrs. Kennedy is organizing herself. It takes longer, but, of course, she looks better than we do when she does it.” He then pivoted to national themes, emphasizing the nation’s need to be “second to none” in defense and space exploration, to foster continued economic growth, and for American citizens to embrace “the burdens of leadership.”
The crowd’s response was overwhelmingly positive, with palpable warmth and enthusiasm as the President reached out to shake hands amidst a sea of smiling faces.
Back inside the hotel, President Kennedy addressed a breakfast meeting of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, focusing on military preparedness. “We are still the keystone in the arch of freedom,” he asserted. “We will continue to do…our duty, and the people of Texas will be in the lead.”
On to Dallas: The Crossroads of Destiny
The presidential party departed the hotel and traveled by motorcade to Carswell Air Force Base for the brief thirteen-minute flight to Dallas. Upon arrival at Love Field, President and Mrs. Kennedy disembarked and immediately approached a fence where a crowd of well-wishers had assembled. They spent several minutes shaking hands, engaging with the enthusiastic Dallas crowd.
The First Lady was presented with a bouquet of red roses, which she carried with her to the waiting limousine. Governor John Connally and his wife, Nellie, were already seated in the open convertible as the Kennedys joined them, taking their places in the back. The plastic bubble top, often used for inclement weather, had been left off as the rain had ceased. Vice President and Mrs. Johnson followed in another car within the motorcade.
The procession then commenced its ten-mile route, winding through the streets of downtown Dallas, en route to the Trade Mart, where the President was scheduled to deliver a luncheon address.
The Assassination: A Nation in Shock
As the motorcade progressed, throngs of excited people lined the streets, waving and cheering for the Kennedys. Around 12:30 p.m., the limousine turned off Main Street onto Dealey Plaza. As the vehicle passed the Texas School Book Depository, the unthinkable happened: gunfire erupted, shattering the festive atmosphere.
Bullets struck President Kennedy, hitting his neck and head. He slumped towards Mrs. Kennedy. Governor Connally, seated in front of him, was also struck, wounded in his back.
The limousine accelerated rapidly, speeding towards Parkland Memorial Hospital, just minutes away. Despite the swift response, little could be done to save the President. A Catholic priest was summoned to administer the last rites. At 1:00 p.m. John F. Kennedy was pronounced dead. Governor Connally, though seriously wounded, would ultimately survive.
President Kennedy’s body was transported to Love Field and placed aboard Air Force One. Before the plane could depart, in the cramped and somber compartment, a grim-faced Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as President of the United States. The oath of office was administered by US District Court Judge Sarah Hughes at 2:38 p.m.
Less than an hour prior to this momentous and tragic transfer of power, police had apprehended Lee Harvey Oswald, a recently hired employee at the Texas School Book Depository. He was taken into custody, suspected of assassinating President Kennedy and, shortly thereafter, fatally shooting Patrolman J. D. Tippit on a Dallas street.
On Sunday morning, November 24th, as the nation grappled with the unfathomable loss, Oswald was scheduled to be transferred from police headquarters to the county jail. Viewers across America, watching the live television coverage of this transfer, witnessed another shocking act of violence. A man emerged from the crowd, aimed a pistol at point-blank range, and fired at Oswald. The assailant was quickly identified as Jack Ruby, a local nightclub owner. Oswald died two hours later at Parkland Hospital, the same hospital where President Kennedy had succumbed to his wounds just two days prior.
The President’s Funeral: A Nation Mourns its Fallen Leader
That same day, President Kennedy’s flag-draped casket was moved from the White House to the Capitol. A caisson, drawn by six grey horses and accompanied by a riderless black horse, carried the fallen President. At Mrs. Kennedy’s request, the cortege and ceremonial details were intentionally modeled after the funeral of Abraham Lincoln, drawing parallels between two presidents tragically lost in service to the nation. Crowds lined Pennsylvania Avenue, many openly weeping as the caisson passed, a testament to the profound grief gripping the nation. During the 21 hours that President Kennedy’s body lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda, an estimated 250,000 people filed past to pay their respects, a silent river of sorrow and remembrance.
On Monday, November 25, 1963, President Kennedy was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. The funeral was attended by heads of state and representatives from over 100 countries, a global acknowledgment of Kennedy’s impact and the world’s shared grief. Untold millions more watched the solemn proceedings on television, united in mourning. Following the funeral service, at the gravesite, Mrs. Kennedy and her husband’s brothers, Robert and Edward, lit an eternal flame, a symbol of enduring memory and hope.
Perhaps the most enduring and poignant images from that day were etched into the nation’s collective memory: little John F. Kennedy Jr., just three years old on that day, offering a heartbreaking salute to his father’s casket; daughter Caroline kneeling beside her mother at the President’s bier; and the extraordinary grace and dignity displayed by Jacqueline Kennedy amidst unimaginable personal tragedy.
As people across the nation and the world struggled to comprehend the senseless act and articulate their feelings about President Kennedy’s life and legacy, many recalled the hopeful and inspiring words from his inaugural address:
All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days, nor in the first one thousand days, nor in the life of this administration. Nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.
Arlington National Cemetery: A Place of Remembrance
To learn more about President Kennedy’s funeral and grave site, visit the Arlington National Cemetery website.
Aftermath: Investigations and Unanswered Questions
The Warren Commission: Seeking Answers in the Immediate Wake
In the immediate aftermath of the assassination, on November 29, 1963, President Lyndon B. Johnson established the President’s Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy. This body became widely known as the Warren Commission, named after its chairman, Earl Warren, the Chief Justice of the United States. President Johnson charged the commission with the daunting task of evaluating all matters related to the assassination and the subsequent killing of Lee Harvey Oswald, the alleged assassin. The commission was mandated to report its findings and conclusions directly to the President. The Warren Commission’s final report, released in 1964, concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in the assassination of President Kennedy and that Jack Ruby also acted alone in Oswald’s murder. This “single bullet theory” and the commission’s overall findings have been subjects of intense debate and scrutiny ever since.
The House Select Committee on Assassinations: Reopening the Inquiry
Years later, amidst persistent public skepticism and emerging questions surrounding the Warren Commission’s conclusions, the US House of Representatives established the House Select Committee on Assassinations in 1976. This committee was formed to reopen the investigation into President Kennedy’s assassination, specifically in light of allegations that previous inquiries had not received full cooperation from federal agencies and that crucial evidence may have been overlooked or suppressed.
Note to the reader: Point 1B in the link below refers to the findings of the 1979 House Select Committee on Assassinations, which initially stated that the committee had found “a high probability that two gunmen fired” at the president. This conclusion was largely based on the late “discovery” of a Dallas police radio transmission tape, which allegedly provided acoustic evidence suggesting that four or more shots were fired in Dealey Plaza. However, after the report was published, acoustic experts rigorously analyzed the tape and conclusively demonstrated that it was unreliable and essentially worthless, effectively negating the finding in Point 1B.
Despite the retraction of the acoustic evidence, the House Select Committee on Assassinations ultimately issued its report on March 29, 1979. While it concurred with the Warren Commission that Oswald fired the shots that killed President Kennedy, it also concluded that there was a “probable conspiracy” in the assassination, although it was unable to identify the second gunman or the nature of the conspiracy.
Assassination Records Collection: Ongoing Access and Enduring Questions
Through the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992, the US Congress took a significant step towards transparency by mandating that all assassination-related materials be consolidated and housed together under the supervision of the National Archives and Records Administration. This act aimed to ensure public access to the vast collection of documents and evidence related to the assassination. Despite this increased access and decades of scrutiny, the question of “Why Was Kennedy Assassinated?” continues to fuel debate, conspiracy theories, and historical analysis. While investigations have provided a detailed account of the events and identified Lee Harvey Oswald as the shooter, the definitive motives behind the assassination and the possibility of a broader conspiracy remain subjects of ongoing discussion and speculation, highlighting the enduring mystery surrounding this pivotal moment in American history.
