The Assassination of JFK
Before The Assassination
JFK was the thirty-fifth president of the United States. He was going to try to get reelected for a second term. JFK was heading down south to continue his reelection tour. He had covered 10 states in one week during his tour. The first state was going to be Texas and then 3 cities starting with San Antonio. He was accompanied by Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, Govenor John B. Connally, and Senator Ralph W. Yarborough on the trip to Texas. JFK knew that it was heated between him and the other presidential candidate but he wasn't afraid of this. He was going to go on with his presidential reelection campaign as planned.
The Assassination
On the morning of November 22nd 1963 in front of the hotel he was staying in Fort Worth. JFK gave a small speech while his wife got ready. He said to the small crowd gather in front of the stage "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." After the speech JFK the city had a parade. President Kennedy was murdered while riding in a motorcade through Dealey Plaza in Dallas at 12:30 PM CST on Friday, November 22, 1963. Several photos and films captured the assassination, including the famous Zapruder Film. JFK was rushed to Parkland Hospital, where a tracheostomy and other efforts failed to keep him alive. After he was pronounced dead around 1 PM, his body was removed against the wishes of Texas authorities and flown back to Washington aboard Air Force One with his wife Jackie and his successor, President Lyndon Johnson. An autopsy was performed at Bethesda Naval Hospital, and he was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday the 25th. Lee Harvey Oswald, a former Marine and defector to the Soviet Union, was arrested around 2 PM at the Texas Theatre in the Oak Cliff suburb of Dallas and charged with murdering a police officer named J.D. Tippit. Protesting that he was "a patsy," Oswald was paraded in front of the world's gathering cameras and accused of murdering President Kennedy as well. Oswald was interrogated throughout the weekend, though no recordings or transcriptions were made. During an intended transfer to county facilities on Sunday morning the 24th, Oswald was shot and killed on live television in the basement of the Dallas Police station. His murderer was a local nightclub owner