Assassination of John F. Kennedy
The Assassination of John F. Kennedy
“ Dallas, Nov. 22–President John Fitzgerald Kennedy was shot and killed by an
assassin today” (Wickers Web). In 1963, hearts were shattered across America as they heard the tidings of the heinous assassination of J.F.K. What started out as the beginning of a bright-eyed, tentative campaign for re-election quickly became a nightmare for not only the Kennedys, but also the American people. He death, which is clouded in mystery and suspicion, brought dark times to the United States.
In 1963, John F. Kennedy was looking at the nation and wondering what the pressing issues were for the people. Did immigration concern them, were they worried about Communist Russians, or were they upset about the space race? These issues and more were the reason that J.F.K. left his shelter in Washington D.C. to embark on an issue sounding tour. “The first stops on the trip were San Antonio and Houston on November 21st, 1963, where the president made a series of speeches. They then came into Fort Worth later that night the president and his party would then take a short flight to Dallas for the day, then to Austin, the final stop” (Doyle Web). The president would never see the streets of Austin on that trip.
After visiting the cities of San Antonio, Houston, and Fort Worth, the president arrived as scheduled in Dallas’ Love Airfield at 11:38 a.m. From there John F. and
Binns 1
Jacqueline Kennedy, who had elected to accompany the president on this trip through Texas, were acquired by a motorcade. This grand, presidential procession, which included Texas Governor Connally and Vice President Johnson, started off heading Northeast on W Mockingbird Ln. From there, they turned right and moved Southeast on Lemmon Ave. The Motorcade continued on a Southeast path until it reached Main St. where it turned right and headed Southwest. After the procession had gone a few blocks, the motorcade came onto elm street. They stated to pass a small park and a seemingly insignificant building: the Texas School Book Depository. Unbeknownst to everyone present, there was someone watching the motorcade drive by from that building. Someone who was watching and waiting.
Lee Harvey Oswald was a seemingly ordinary person. A small person only standing 5’9” Lee did not draw much attention. Lee served in the Marine Corps during World War II where from an informational pamphlet he learned about Socialism. He loved the idea of it so much that after the war Oswald decided to try to defect to Russia. Feeling crushed after he was denied citizenship, he decided it was better to not live in a world where in which he couldn’t be part of a communistic government that to live at all. When he was found shortly after by Russian officials it was decided