Shortly after noon on November 22, 1963,
President John F. Kennedy was assassinated as
he rode in a motorcade through Dealey Plaza in
downtown Dallas, Texas.
By the fall of 1963, President John F. Kennedy and
his political advisers were preparing for the next
presidential campaign. Although he had not formally
announced his candidacy, it was clear that President
Kennedy was going to run and he seemed confident
about his chances for re-election.
At the end of September, the president traveled
west, speaking in nine different states in less than a
week. The trip was meant to put a spotlight on
natural resources and conservation efforts. But JFK
also used it to sound out themes—such as education,
national security, and world peace—for his run in
1964.

Campaigning in Texas
A month later, the president addressed Democratic
gatherings in Boston and Philadelphia. Then, on
November 12, he held the first important political
planning session for the upcoming election year. At
the meeting, JFK stressed the importance of winning
Florida and Texas and talked about his plans to visit
both states in the next two we
eks. Mrs. Kennedy would accompany him on the
swing through Texas, which would be her first
extended public appearance since the loss of their
baby, Patrick, in August. On
November 21, the president and first lady departed
on Air Force One for the two-day, five-city tour of
Texas.
President Kennedy was aware that a feud among
party leaders in Texas could jeopardize his chances
of carrying the state in 1964, and one of his aims for
the trip was to bring Democrats together. He also
knew that a relatively small but vocal group of
extremists was contributing to the political tensions
in Texas and would likely make its presence felt—
particularly in Dallas, where U.S. Ambassador to the
United Nations Adlai Stevenson had been physically
attacked a month earlier after making a speech
there. Nonetheless, JFK seemed to relish the
prospect of leaving Washington, getting out among
the people and into the political fray.
The first stop was San Antonio. Vice President
Lyndon B. Johnson, Governor John B. Connally, and
Senator Ralph W. Yarborough led the welcoming
party. They accompanied the president to Brooks Air
Force Base for the dedication of the Aerospace
Medical Health Center. Continuing on to Houston,
he addressed a Latin American citizens' organization
and spoke at a testimonial dinner for Congressman
Albert Thomas before ending the day in Fort Worth.
Morning in Fort Worth
A light rain was falling on Friday morning, November
22, but a crowd of several thousand stood in the
parking lot outside the Texas Hotel where the
Kennedys had spent the night. A platform was set up
and the president, wearing no protection against the
weather, came out to make some brief remarks.
"There are no faint hearts in Fort Worth," he began,
"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 went on to talk about the nation's need for
being "second to none" in defense and in space, for
continued growth in the economy and "the
willingness of citizens of the United States to
assume the burdens of leadership."
The warmth of the audience response was palpable
as the president reached out to shake hands amidst
a sea of smiling faces.
Back inside the hotel the president spoke at a
breakfast of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce,
focusing on military preparedness. "We are still the
keystone in the arch of freedom," he said. "We will
continue to do…our duty, and the people of Texas
will be in the lead."
On to Dallas
The presidential party left the hotel
and went by motorcade to Carswell Air Force Base
for the thirteen-minute flight to Dallas. Arriving at
Love Field, President and Mrs. Kennedy
disembarked and immediately walked toward a
fence where a crowd of well-wishers had gathered,
and they spent several minutes shaking hands.
The first lady received a bouquet of red roses, which
she brought with her to the waiting limousine.
Governor John Connally and his wife, Nellie, were
already seated in the open convertible as the
Kennedys entered and sat behind them. Since it was
no longer raining, the plastic bubble top had been
left off. Vice President and Mrs. Johnson occupied
another car in the motorcade.
The procession left the airport and traveled along a
ten-mile route that wound through downtown Dallas
on the way to the Trade Mart where the President
was scheduled to speak at a luncheon.


The Assassination
Crowds of excited people lined the streets and
waved to the Kennedys. The car turned off Main
Street at Dealey Plaza around 12:30 p.m. As it was
passing the Texas School Book Depository, gunfire
suddenly reverberated in the plaza.
Bullets struck the president's neck and head and he
slumped over toward Mrs. Kennedy. The governor
was also hit in the chest.
The car sped off to Parkland Memorial Hospital just
a few minutes away. But little could be done for the
President. A Catholic priest was summoned to
administer the last rites, and at 1:00 p.m. John F.
Kennedy was pronounced dead. Though seriously
wounded, Governor Connally would recover.
The president's body was brought to Love Field and
placed on Air Force One. Before the plane took off, a
grim-faced Lyndon B. Johnson stood in the tight,
crowded compartment and took the oath of office,
administered by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah
Hughes. The brief ceremony took place at 2:38 p.m.
Less than an hour earlier, police had arrested Lee
Harvey Oswald, a recently hired employee at the
Texas School Book Depository. He was being held
for the assassination of President Kennedy and the
fatal shooting, shortly afterward, of Patrolman J. D.
Tippit on a Dallas street.
On Sunday morning, November 24, Oswald was
scheduled to be transferred from police
headquarters to the county jail. Viewers across
America watching the live television coverage
suddenly saw a man aim a pistol and fire at point
blank range. The assailant was identified as Jack
Ruby, a local nightclub owner. Oswald died two
hours later at Parkland Hospital.

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Interesting..