The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy

President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963, in a shocking event that stunned the United States and the world.

Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, was traveling in an open-top limousine as part of a motorcade through downtown Dallas, accompanied by his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy, Texas Governor John Connally, and Connally’s wife, Nellie. The motorcade was en route to the Dallas Trade Mart, where Kennedy was scheduled to give a speech. At approximately 12:30 PM Central Standard Time, shots rang out as the motorcade passed through Dealey Plaza.

Kennedy was struck by two bullets, one in the neck and the other in the head, and was pronounced dead at Parkland Memorial Hospital at 1:00 PM. Governor Connally was also injured in the attack but survived.

The primary suspect in the assassination was Lee Harvey Oswald, a former U.S. Marine with a history of anti-American activity. Oswald was captured and charged with the murder of President Kennedy and Dallas police officer J.D. Tippit. On November 24, Oswald was fatally shot by nightclub owner Jack Ruby while in police custody, sparking numerous conspiracy theories about the assassination.

The Kennedy assassination investigation was led by the Warren Commission, a government-appointed panel chaired by Chief Justice Earl Warren. In September 1964, the commission released its final report, concluding that Oswald had acted alone in assassinating Kennedy. However, many conspiracy theories continue circulating, suggesting various other groups or individuals may have been involved in the assassination.

The assassination of President John F. Kennedy had a profound impact on the United States and the world, marking the end of the nation’s post-World War II optimism and the beginning of a more turbulent period in American history.