By the autumn of 1963, President John F. Kennedy was actively preparing for his re-election campaign, despite not having formally announced his candidacy. Confident in his prospects, he embarked on a series of trips to gauge public sentiment and refine his campaign themes.
In late September 1963, President Kennedy undertook a tour across nine states in the western U.S. within a week. Officially, the trip highlighted natural resources and conservation, but it also served as a platform for President Kennedy to test campaign messages centered around education, national security, and the pursuit of world peace for his anticipated 1964 run.
A month later, he engaged with Democratic supporters in Boston and Philadelphia. Crucially, on November 12, he convened a pivotal political strategy session to map out the upcoming election year. During this meeting, President Kennedy underscored the critical importance of securing victories in Florida and Texas, outlining plans to visit both states in the subsequent weeks.
The Texas trip was scheduled to include First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, marking her return to public engagements following the loss of their infant son, Patrick, in August. On November 21, President and Mrs. Kennedy boarded Air Force One, commencing a two-day, five-city tour across Texas.
President Kennedy was acutely aware of internal conflicts within the Democratic party in Texas that could undermine his chances in the state in 1964. A key objective of his visit was to foster unity among Texas Democrats. He also recognized the presence of a small but vocal extremist element that contributed to the charged political atmosphere in Texas. Dallas, in particular, had recently witnessed an attack on US Ambassador to the United Nations Adlai Stevenson. Despite these undercurrents, President Kennedy seemed 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 tour, where Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, Governor John B. Connally, and Senator Ralph W. Yarborough formed the welcoming committee. The presidential party proceeded 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 attended a testimonial dinner for Congressman Albert Thomas before concluding the day in Fort Worth.
The Morning in Fort Worth
On the morning of Friday, November 22, a light rain fell over Fort Worth. Despite the weather, a crowd of several thousand people gathered in the parking area outside the Texas Hotel, where the Kennedys had stayed overnight. A makeshift platform had been erected, and President Kennedy, without any rain protection, addressed the crowd. He began with an appreciative remark, “There are no faint hearts in Fort Worth, 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 spoke about the nation’s imperative to maintain its leading position in defense and space exploration, to foster economic growth, and for American citizens to embrace global leadership responsibilities.
The crowd’s response was enthusiastic, and President Kennedy warmly shook hands with many in the smiling crowd.
Inside the hotel, President Kennedy delivered a speech at a Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce breakfast, focusing on military readiness. He affirmed, “We are still the keystone in the arch of freedom. We will continue to do…our duty, and the people of Texas will be in the lead.”
Journey to Dallas
The presidential entourage departed the hotel and traveled by motorcade to Carswell Air Force Base for a brief thirteen-minute flight to Dallas. Upon arrival at Love Field in Dallas, President and Mrs. Kennedy alighted from Air Force One and immediately approached a fence where a group of supporters had assembled, spending several minutes greeting them.
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-top convertible as the Kennedys joined them in the back. The plastic bubble top was not in place as the rain had stopped. Vice President and Mrs. Johnson followed in a separate car within the motorcade.
The motorcade commenced its route from the airport, proceeding along a ten-mile path through downtown Dallas en route to the Trade Mart, where President Kennedy was scheduled to deliver a luncheon address.
The Assassination Unfolds
Large, cheerful crowds lined the streets of Dallas, waving to President and Mrs. Kennedy as the motorcade progressed. Around 12:30 p.m. Central Standard Time, the limousine turned off Main Street onto Dealey Plaza. As the vehicle passed the Texas School Book Depository, gunfire suddenly erupted in the plaza, shattering the cheerful 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 in the back.
The limousine accelerated rapidly towards Parkland Memorial Hospital, a short distance away. Despite immediate medical attention, there was little that could be done for the President. A Catholic priest was called to administer last rites. At 1:00 p.m. CST on November 22, 1963, John F. Kennedy was pronounced dead. Governor Connally, though seriously injured, survived.
President Kennedy’s body was transported to Love Field and placed aboard Air Force One. Before departing, a somber Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as President in a confined compartment of the aircraft. The oath was administered by US District Court Judge Sarah Hughes at 2:38 p.m. CST.
Earlier, within an hour of the assassination, police apprehended Lee Harvey Oswald, a recent employee at the Texas School Book Depository. He was detained in connection with the assassination of President Kennedy and the subsequent fatal shooting of Patrolman J. D. Tippit in Dallas.
On Sunday morning, November 24, as Oswald was being transferred from police headquarters to the county jail, live television cameras captured a shocking event. Jack Ruby, a Dallas nightclub owner, stepped forward and fatally shot Oswald at point-blank range. Oswald died two hours later at Parkland Hospital.
The Nation Mourns: President Kennedy’s Funeral
On the same day as Oswald’s death, President Kennedy’s flag-draped casket was moved from the White House to the Capitol. It was transported on a caisson drawn by six grey horses, accompanied by a solitary riderless black horse, echoing the funeral procession of Abraham Lincoln at Mrs. Kennedy’s request. Crowds lined Pennsylvania Avenue, many openly weeping as the caisson passed. During the 21 hours President Kennedy lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda, approximately 250,000 people paid their respects.
On Monday, November 25, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. The funeral was attended by heads of state and dignitaries from over 100 countries, with countless millions more watching on television. Following the service, at the gravesite, Mrs. Kennedy and President Kennedy’s brothers, Robert and Edward, lit an eternal flame.
Among the most enduring images from that day were John F. Kennedy Jr.’s salute to his father (on his third birthday), Caroline Kennedy kneeling beside her mother at the bier, and Jacqueline Kennedy’s remarkable grace and dignity.
As the world grappled with the enormity of President Kennedy’s assassination and its implications, many recalled the poignant 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
For more information about President Kennedy’s funeral and his final resting place, please visit the Arlington National Cemetery website.
The Aftermath and Investigations
The Warren Commission: Seeking Answers
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 known as the Warren Commission, named after its chairman, Earl Warren, the Chief Justice of the United States. President Johnson charged the commission with investigating all aspects of the assassination and the subsequent killing of Lee Harvey Oswald, and to deliver its findings and conclusions.
The House Select Committee on Assassinations: Re-examining the Evidence
Decades later, in 1976, the US House of Representatives formed the House Select Committee on Assassinations to reopen the investigation into President Kennedy’s death. This was prompted by persistent questions and allegations that previous inquiries had not received full cooperation from federal agencies.
Note: Point 1B of the 1979 House Select Committee on Assassinations report initially suggested “a high probability that two gunmen fired” at President Kennedy. This conclusion was largely based on a Dallas police radio transmission tape that purportedly indicated four or more shots in Dealey Plaza. However, subsequent analysis by acoustic experts conclusively discredited this tape, invalidating the basis for Point 1B’s finding.
The committee, which also investigated the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., published its report on March 29, 1979.
The Assassination Records Collection: Ensuring Transparency
The President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992, mandated by the US Congress, ensured that all materials related to the assassination are centralized and accessible under the supervision of the National Archives and Records Administration, promoting transparency and continued research into this pivotal moment in history.
