John F. Kennedy Memorial
Dallas
On Friday, November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy arrived in Dallas as part of a political campaign tour. His motorcade traveled through Dealey Plaza, passing beneath the triple underpass. As the presidential limousine turned a corner, shots were fired from the nearby Texas School Book Depository building. Kennedy was fatally wounded, and Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as the 36th President of the United States.
The assassination of President Kennedy sent shockwaves across the nation and around the world. It was a moment of profound grief and disbelief. The plaza, once a vibrant and bustling space, became a somber memorial to the fallen president.
The Aftermath and Legacy
In the immediate aftermath of the assassination, Dealey Plaza was inundated with mourners who came to pay their respects. Flowers, candles, and other memorials were left at the site. The plaza quickly became a place of reflection and remembrance.
Over the years, the plaza has undergone several changes. The Texas School Book Depository building has been transformed into the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, which chronicles the events surrounding the assassination and the legacy of President Kennedy. A memorial plaque marks the exact spot where Kennedy was shot, and a grassy knoll has been designated as a memorial garden.
Despite the tragic events that unfolded there, Dealey Plaza remains a significant part of Dallas' history. It is a place where visitors can learn about the assassination, reflect on its impact, and pay tribute to President Kennedy's legacy. The plaza serves as a reminder of a pivotal moment in American history and a testament to the enduring power of memory.
The Texas School Book Depository, a six-story warehouse located in downtown Dallas, Texas, became an infamous landmark on November 22, 1963, when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. The building's proximity to Dealey Plaza, the site of the shooting, and the discovery of a rifle on its sixth floor immediately implicated it in the crime. The subsequent investigation, conducted by the Warren Commission, concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald, an employee of the depository, had fired the fatal shots from a window on the sixth floor. However, this conclusion has been the subject of intense debate and speculation for decades.
The Texas School Book Depository was established in 1960 as a warehouse for storing and distributing school textbooks. The building was located in a bustling area of Dallas, near the city's railroad tracks and industrial district. In the years leading up to the assassination, the depository was a relatively quiet place, with a small staff of employees and a constant turnover of inventory.
Lee Harvey Oswald, the alleged assassin, had worked at the Texas School Book Depository for several months prior to the shooting. He was hired in October 1963 after responding to a newspaper advertisement for a warehouse worker. Oswald's time at the depository was marked by his solitary nature and his frequent absences from work. He was known to spend long hours alone on the sixth floor, where he had access to a large, unoccupied room.
On November 22, 1963, President Kennedy's motorcade passed through Dealey Plaza. As the presidential limousine approached the depository, three shots were fired. One of the bullets struck President Kennedy in the head, killing him instantly. The other bullets struck Governor John Connally of Texas and a bystander.
Immediately after the shooting, police officers rushed to the Texas School Book Depository. They discovered a rifle and a paper bag on the sixth floor, near a window that overlooked Dealey Plaza. The rifle was later identified as the weapon used to kill President Kennedy.