No John F. Kennedy Anniversary thread?

[tvguy]

I guess I am showing my age because I'm surprised there is no thread today on the 60th Anniversary of the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

It likely was before most on the DIS were born, but I guess it clearly has transitioned to an historic event instead of something people "remember where they were" when it happened.

I was in First Grade when it happened. We were sent home for the day and there was no school on the day of his funeral. And all 4 channels we had covered the funeral live.

For me, what I remember about the assassination was, at that time, the politics ended once the election was over, and most folks felt whomever won the Presidential election had the support of the nation. That was in important lesson for me, as Kennedy was not a popular President during the campaign in California. He lost to Richard Nixon here. But my parents taught me that him being President was more important that the differences they had with him during the campaign.

As background, the assassination happened 2 1/2 years after the Bay of Pigs, but the Cold War was still on. We had a week's worth of canned food and water in the trunk of both cars, and my parents had a plan where to meet, outside our area, in case of nuclear attack. I was in Sacramento, with two Air Force Bases right here, and two more close by, plus an Army Depot here, and two others close by. Sacramento was on the list of targets for a nuclear strike.

I can relate to the transition from event I experienced to historic event for most folks. 60 years before the Kennedy Assassination, the big news was the Wright Brother's first flight. Even my parents weren't around yet, so it was a historic event for them too.

 

[NannyBeBe]

I vividly remember the day. I was in high school. Someone came to the door of my English class. My teacher, Mrs. Foor, went to the door and the two spoke in whispers. When Mrs. Foor returned to us, she was nearly in tears. She told us to gather our things, that we were to go home, that the President had been shot.

 

[Nora03]

I guess we’re showing our age. I was in high school and we found out during lunch that President Kennedy had been shot, but didn’t know he’d died until we got home. Canadian school. I remember watching the funeral procession on TV and crying seeing John John saluting his Father’s coffin and how stoic the First Lady was. It was a very sad time.

 

[soccerdad72]

There is one now

 

[Dan Murphy]

It was very impactful to me. I was 19 at the time, working in a factory. We heard the news on a radio somebody had. Many rumors flying in the early minutes/hours.. I took the day off from work the day of the funeral. My boss did not like it. I did not care.

As a historical point in time now, it would have been like looking back on McKinley's assassination in 1961. He was killed in 1901. His 1901 assassination really had no impact on me in 1961. Kennedy's has, my whole life.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

It was a little before my time, but I remember my mother telling me about her memories of that day and she said that whatever innocence was left in the country at that time was lost forever.

 

[tony67]

As a historical point in time now, it would have been like looking back on McKinley's assassination in 1961. He was killed in 1901. His 1901 assassination really had no impact on me in 1961. Kennedy's has, my whole life.

I see your point but, I think because it was on TV and there is lots of video and theory on it it has had a much longer impact. The Kennedy Assassination is no doubt part of the culture, but the date not so much.

Unfortunately kids today don't know all that much about American History so that's also a factor IMO.

As for the lost innocence, some of that was because the media did not report on the presidents activities, or his poor health.

 

[NYCgrrl]

I’m the right age but have never memorialized or celebrated any of JFK‘s or RFK’s life dates.

Idealistically, I would just hope that our politicians of whatever stripe would honor their sacrifices and adopt more of their philosophy in serving the country.

Unfortunately kids today don't know all that much about American History so that's also a factor IMO.

They never have as a whole and I doubt they ever will.

 

[Turn the Page]

It was 20 years before I was born but for some reason that event has always fascinated me. I have read several books on the subject and watched several documentaries and such. I haven't gone so far as to read the full Warren Commission Report but it's on my list.

I asked a few people yesterday who they thought killed JFK and mostly got blank stares in return.

Oh well.

 

[Southernmiss]

My parents were not yet in high school. So it's all been a point of history to me.

I don't remember ever hearing an account of the events so well told as Historian Heather Cox Richardson's on her Facebook and substack today. Much of it from Lady Bird Johnson's view. Worth a read.

The comments from readers of their memories are poignant, too.

 

[antmaril]

Miss Rashid’s 7th Grade English class.

 

[Babs Johnson]

I was in kindergarten and we had half days on Fridays so we were probably already dismissed when the news came. In any case I was too young to understand. What I DO remember is that Saturday morning cartoons on TV were preempted
for the news.

We had the Monday off for the funeral and I have vague memories of it on TV.

 

[VandVsmama]

I wasn't even born yet.

 

[AppleDumpling]

I was a toddler in 1963 so I have no memory of it. However, I always remember the date and knew this anniversary was coming up. Such a sad day in history.

DH and I have been watching a few of the new documentaries on the subject, all very interesting. Interviews with witnesses and others directly involved are especially compelling. Even though I’ve seen it many times, it is chilling to me to see the Zapruder footage. We have been to the JFK Library in Boston and to his grave in Arlington cemetery.

 

[wabbott]

It was 20 years before I was born but for some reason that event has always fascinated me. I have read several books on the subject and watched several documentaries and such. I haven't gone so far as to read the full Warren Commission Report but it's on my list.

I asked a few people yesterday who they thought killed JFK and mostly got blank stares in return.

Oh well.

William Manchester's Death of a President is recommended if you've not read it. Back a couple of lifetimes ago when I used to work for wages, I was in Dallas for a sales call not too far from Dealy Plaza. I got up real early and left my hotel and stopped by Dealy on the way to my appointment. This was several years before the museum was created.

I parked a couple of blocks away and walked along the parade route over to the depository building and remember looking up at the 5th floor window and then to where the car would have been.

The thought that came to my mind was "If I were going to shoot at someone in a car on the street below, that is the very window that I would done it from." That thought was almost a physical impact.

I was 13 in 1963, and it remains one of the events of my lifetime that I can tell you where/when I was. We were just gathering for Mrs. Stucky's 8th grade history class after lunch.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I'm surprised there is no thread today on the 60th Anniversary of the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

We discussed it yesterday in a running chat thread I'm part of, but the name of the thread wouldn't reflect that.

I wasn't born yet when it happened, but live near Boston now and have been to the JFK museum. - They had the flag that draped his coffin out for display briefly yesterday, but I wasn't able to go see it. I did watch some stuff about him on the History Channel and reflect on the day. - I wonder where our country would be now if he had lived?

 

[tvguy]

- I wonder where our country would be now if he had lived?

View attachment 812884

We could drink a lot of beer discussing that for sure.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I see your point but, I think because it was on TV and there is lots of video and theory on it it has had a much longer impact. The Kennedy Assassination is no doubt part of the culture, but the date not so much.

True. So much media coverage back then, 24 hours a day for about aw week. And then follow-up programs ever since.

Unfortunately kids today don't know all that much about American History so that's also a factor IMO.

Very true. I can see it in my grandkids. Not much emphasis on history.

As for the lost innocence, some of that was because the media did not report on the presidents activities, or his poor health.

I would say that reporting on presidents' foibles at least while still in office, started with Nixon and Watergate. Before then, like FDR, Eisenhower, and others, not so much.

 

[tony67]

I would say that reporting on presidents' foibles at least while still in office, started with Nixon and Watergate. Before then, like FDR, Eisenhower, and others, not so much.

Yeah sort of what I was getting at, although I doubt Johnson and Vietnam helped

 

[Simba's Mom]

I remember it-I was on the bus, coming home from Junior H-I mean "middle school" they call it now. I lived in Massachusetts at the time, and almost everyone there idolized the Kennedy's. Almost everyone except my parents. To us, it was just several days of nothing on TV except the funeral. Almost 60 years later, our son took us into Dallas (he lives in the area) to "see the grassy knoll where Lincoln was shot". He only paid part attention in History class.