By the fall of 1963, President John F. Kennedy was actively laying the groundwork for his upcoming presidential campaign. Though not yet formally announced, his intention to seek re-election was unmistakable, and optimism surrounded his prospects. His schedule was filled with travel and public appearances, subtly testing themes for his 1964 run, with education, national security, and the pursuit of world peace frequently highlighted.
In late September, President Kennedy embarked on a tour across nine western states in under a week. While officially focused on natural resources and conservation, this trip served as a platform to gauge public reception to key policy areas that would likely feature prominently in his campaign. A month later, he addressed Democratic gatherings in Boston and Philadelphia, further solidifying his political momentum. November saw the first crucial political planning session for the election year ahead, where Florida and Texas were identified as key states for victory, prompting plans for immediate visits.
Accompanying him on the Texas trip was First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, marking her return to public life after the recent loss of their infant son, Patrick, in August. On November 21st, Air Force One departed for a two-day, five-city tour across Texas, a state fraught with political complexities.
President Kennedy was acutely aware of the internal strife within the Texas Democratic party, a division that posed a significant threat to his chances of winning the state in 1964. A primary objective of his visit was to unify these factions. Furthermore, he recognized the presence of a small yet vocal extremist element contributing to the state’s charged political atmosphere, particularly in Dallas. Just weeks prior, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Adlai Stevenson had been physically assaulted in Dallas after a speech. Despite these undercurrents of tension, President Kennedy appeared eager to engage directly with the public and immerse himself in the political landscape outside of Washington.
San Antonio was the first stop on the Texas tour, where Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, Governor John B. Connally, and Senator Ralph W. Yarborough formed the welcoming committee. Together, they proceeded to Brooks Air Force Base for the dedication of the Aerospace Medical Health Center. The day continued in Houston, with the President addressing the League of United Latin American Citizens and speaking at a dinner honoring Congressman Albert Thomas, before concluding in Fort Worth.
Morning in Fort Worth
A gentle rain fell on the morning of Friday, November 22nd, yet a substantial crowd gathered in the parking lot of the Texas Hotel, where the Kennedys had stayed overnight. A makeshift platform was erected, and President Kennedy, undeterred by the weather, emerged to address the waiting supporters. “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 shifted to matters of national importance, emphasizing the necessity for the United States to maintain a position of global leadership in defense and space exploration, alongside continued economic growth and the commitment of its citizens to global responsibilities.
The crowd’s enthusiastic response was palpable as President Kennedy extended his hand, engaging with the smiling faces before him. Inside the hotel, he addressed a Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce breakfast, focusing his remarks on military readiness. “We are still the keystone in the arch of freedom,” he declared, reinforcing the nation’s role on the world stage. “We will continue to do…our duty, and the people of Texas will be in the lead.”
On to Dallas
The presidential entourage 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 nearby fence where a crowd had assembled, spending several minutes greeting and shaking hands with well-wishers.
The First Lady received a bouquet of red roses, which she carried 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 behind. With the rain having ceased, the decision was made to leave the plastic bubble top off the vehicle. Vice President and Mrs. Johnson followed in a separate car as the motorcade prepared to depart.
The procession left the airport, embarking on a ten-mile route through downtown Dallas, en route to the Trade Mart where President Kennedy was scheduled to deliver a luncheon address.
The Assassination
Large, excited crowds lined the streets, waving enthusiastically to the Kennedys as the motorcade proceeded. Turning off Main Street into Dealey Plaza at approximately 12:30 p.m., as the car passed the Texas School Book Depository, the sound of gunfire shattered the cheerful atmosphere.
Bullets struck President Kennedy, hitting his neck and head. He slumped towards Mrs. Kennedy. Governor Connally, seated in front of the President, was also struck, wounded in his back.
The limousine accelerated rapidly towards Parkland Memorial Hospital, just minutes away. Despite immediate medical attention, little could be done for President Kennedy. A Catholic priest was called to administer last rites, and at 1:00 p.m., John F. Kennedy was pronounced dead. Governor Connally, though seriously injured, would survive.
President Kennedy’s body was transported to Love Field and placed aboard Air Force One. Before taking off, a somber Lyndon B. Johnson, surrounded by a tight group in the aircraft’s compartment, was sworn in as President of the United States by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Hughes. The brief, solemn ceremony took place at 2:38 p.m.
Less than an hour prior, police had apprehended Lee Harvey Oswald, a recent employee of the Texas School Book Depository. He was arrested in connection with the assassination of President Kennedy and the fatal shooting of Patrolman J. D. Tippit, which occurred shortly after in Dallas.
On Sunday morning, November 24th, as Oswald was being transferred from police headquarters to the county jail, live television cameras captured a shocking event. Millions of viewers witnessed a man step forward and fire a pistol at point-blank range. 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 been pronounced dead just two days earlier.
The President’s Funeral
On that same Sunday, President Kennedy’s flag-draped casket was moved from the White House to the Capitol. Drawn by six grey horses and accompanied by a riderless black horse, the caisson procession, at Mrs. Kennedy’s request, mirrored the funeral of Abraham Lincoln in its ceremonial details. Crowds lined Pennsylvania Avenue, many openly weeping as the caisson passed. During the twenty-one hours President Kennedy lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda, an estimated 250,000 people paid their respects, filing past to honor the fallen leader.
Monday, November 25, 1963, marked the day President Kennedy was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. The funeral was attended by heads of state and representatives from over 100 countries, with countless millions more watching the events unfold on television around the globe. Following the burial service, at the gravesite, Mrs. Kennedy and her husband’s brothers, Robert and Edward, lit an eternal flame, a symbol of enduring remembrance.
Perhaps the most poignant and enduring images from that day were those of young John F. Kennedy Jr., offering a salute to his father (on his third birthday), his daughter Caroline kneeling beside her mother at the president’s bier, and the extraordinary grace and dignity exhibited by Jacqueline Kennedy throughout the ordeal.
As the nation and the world grappled with the senseless tragedy, seeking to understand the profound loss of President Kennedy’s life and legacy, many recalled the powerful 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
For further information on President Kennedy’s funeral and gravesite, please visit the Arlington National Cemetery website.
Aftermath
The Warren Commission
On November 29, 1963, President Lyndon B. Johnson established the President’s Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy, which became known as the Warren Commission, named after its chairman, Chief Justice Earl Warren. President Johnson tasked the commission with investigating the assassination and the subsequent killing of Lee Harvey Oswald, and to present its findings and conclusions.
The House Select Committee on Assassinations
In 1976, the U.S. House of Representatives formed the House Select Committee on Assassinations to re-examine the assassination, prompted by allegations that previous investigations had not received full cooperation from federal agencies.
Note to the reader: Point 1B in the findings of the 1979 House Select Committee on Assassinations suggested “a high probability that two gunmen fired” at the president. This conclusion stemmed from the late discovery of a Dallas police radio transmission tape, purportedly indicating four or more shots in Dealey Plaza. However, post-report analysis by acoustic experts conclusively discredited the tape, rendering the finding in Point 1B invalid.
The committee, which also investigated the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., released its report on March 29, 1979.
Assassination Records Collection
The President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992, mandated by the U.S. Congress, ensured that all assassination-related materials be centralized under the supervision of the National Archives and Records Administration.
