Assassination of A President

Today is the anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy. He was the nation's president. He was on a trip to Dallas, Texas and was riding in an open top motorcade and was shot to death by Lee Harvey Oswald from the upper rooms of a building.

Above, is a picture of the Kennedy's arriving in Dallas that morning. I remember this day. I was in the 2nd grade and Mrs. Gaddy was my teacher. We were just doing regular afternoon studies when our principal, Mr. Marich, came into the classroom. When you are in the 2nd grade, the principal doesn't just pop into your class unless there is something important going on. He asked Mrs. Gaddy to step outside. After a few minutes, they came back in and she was crying. She asked the class to give our attention to Mr. Marich. He told us, very tenderly I remember, that the president had died. I felt sick to my stomach. 7 year olds are sensitive to that kind of information. It wasn't until later after I got home from school that I learned what had really happened from my parents.
The President and his wife, Jackie, in the motorcade right before the shooting.


Thinking back on that now, I'm really grateful for the respect my school leaders had to leave the details of something like that to the parents.

I remember the arrest of the assassin, and then his murder on live television by Jack Ruby while he was being moved from one place to another. That was SHOCKING tv back then! I've never forgotten those images and feelings.