On the fateful day of November 22nd, 1963, John F. Kennedy was shot while traveling with his wife in a presidential motorcade during a campaign visit in Dallas, Texas. Leaving one of the most powerful countries in the world traumatized, the United States realized changes needed to be made if they ever wanted to advance as a country. (JFK Library "November 22, 1963: Death of the President")
Amidst the extremely pressure-filled time known as The Sixties, lots of new social changes were happening, and happening very quickly. A time of hope was starting to look like a time of violence. More Americans protested to demand an end to the unfair treatment of black citizens; others protested to demand an end to the war in Vietnam; And others protested to demand full equality for women––needless to say, this period was one that would change America forever. But what happened on November 22nd of 1963 is something that hit everyone the same. That day, John F. Kennedy was riding through in Dallas, Texas do to some campaign promotion. He was driving in a presidential motorcade with his wife, Jackie Kennedy, and driving downtown to greet the masses. But suddenly, President Kennedy was shot at twice, the second shot resulting in immediate death (Wallenfeldt "Assassination of John F. Kennedy" 2019). The world had seemingly stopped. "PRESIDENT KENNEDY ASSASSINATED" read the Irish Times. At first, the world was left in confusion––conspiracies spread blaming the murder on Communist parties, others blaming the murder to be involved within the US government itself. "People cried openly in the streets, and Teachers interrupted classes with the somber news. Children walked home from school that afternoon to find their mothers weeping and their fathers arriving home from work visibly shaken. Families piled into living rooms to watch television, glued to the news out of Dallas.” (Paragraph 4, Washington Post) It was originally stated that Lee Harvey Oswald was JFK’s killer, though later evidence concludes that some sort of covering up had occuring in the background regarding how many people were involved. Either way, Kennedy’s death had left the entire world in complete shock. What before stood as barriers, such as race, didn’t matter in the moment. Everyone had mourned the death of the beloved J.F.K, and it was clear that the nation needed to carry out his intentions.
A funeral took place for JFK on November 25th, 1963, only a few days after his death. The procession started at the White House, and on foot it would end at St. Matthews Cathedral. The Casket was drawn by 4 horses, and one horse named “Black Jack” with an empty saddle. The riderless horse is known as the highest military honors that one could receive. After the funeral, Taps was played, and Jackie Kennedy lit the eternal flame in honor of JFK.
The funeral garnered over 800,000 visitors, and as well people tuning from their TV’s all over the US. This was a sad day for everyone in America--No matter what religion, what gender, what race. People looked up to J.F.K, and losing the seemingly perfect symbol of America was a scary moment for everybody. And not only in America was his death felt, but all over the world as well. (White House History "John F. Kennedy Funeral").
A Newspaper article title from the Evening Outlook reads "WORLD MOURNS - The Prayers of a grieving nation".
Of course, nothing was going to be easy from this point forward. Unfortunately though everyone would have all liked to have peace through this, such tensions were inescapable. In the civil rights movement, J.F.K introduced the Civil Rights Act in 1963––a bill that would end segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin––and the then President Johnson knew that it needed to be executed properly. It was obvious that Lyndon had lost any interest in being in the office while he worked with JFK, and it wasn’t completely clear as to how he was going to approach his new presidency. But as time shows, President Johnson dedicated his forces and connections within the White House to finishing what JFK had started, creating the Civil Rights Act––President Johnson said this was exactly what JFK would have wanted if he knew what was going to happen. So, as he wished, the bill was passed and put into place. But much like anything in the Civil Rights movement, this would be an uphill battle in enforcing such laws, (History.com "Voting Rights Act of 1965" 2009).
This was a slow, painful process. Nothing was going to change immediately and there was a reclutancy from everyone. But the bill was a beam of hope for the future generations. It represented something so powerful, and whether people knew it or not, it would change the American society forever, for the better.
This was a slow, painful process. Nothing was going to change immediately and there was a reclutancy from everyone. But the bill was a beam of hope for the future generations. It represented something so powerful, and whether people knew it or not, it would change the American society forever, for the better.
1) Taibi, Catherine. “What Newspapers Looked Like The Day Kennedy Was Shot.” HuffPost, HuffPost, 7 Dec. 2017, www.huffpost.com/entry/john-f-kennedy-front-pages-newspapers-day-killed-assassination_n_4283342.
2) Brown, DeNeen L. “The Day John F. Kennedy Was Killed: How America Mourned a Fallen President.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 22 Nov. 2017, www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2017/10/26/how-america-mourned-john-f-kennedy-images-of-grief-for-a-fallen-president/.
3) “PRESIDENT KENNEDY ASSASSINATED.” The Irish Times, 23 Nov. 1963, pp. 1–1.
4) “World Mourns.” Evening Outlook, 22 Nov. 1963.
5) Staff, IrishCentral. “Coast Guard Member Reflects on Carrying JFK's Casket.” IrishCentral.com, IrishCentral, 25 Nov. 2018, www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/coast-guard-jfk-casket.amp.
6) Glass, Andrew. “LBJ Signs Voting Rights Act, Aug. 6, 1965.” POLITICO, 6 Aug. 2017,
www.politico.com/story/2017/08/06/lbj-signs-voting-rights-act-aug-6-1965-241256.
7) Wallenfeldt, Jeff. “Assassination of John F. Kennedy.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 6 Sept. 2019, www.britannica.com/event/assassination-of-John-F-Kennedy.
8) History.com Editors. “Voting Rights Act of 1965.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 9 Nov. 2009, https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/voting-rights-act.
9) “November 22, 1963: Death of the President.” JFK Library, https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/jfk-in-history/november-22-1963-death-of-the-president.
10) “John F. Kennedy Funeral.” WHHA (En-US), https://www.whitehousehistory.org/john-f-kennedy-funeral.
2) Brown, DeNeen L. “The Day John F. Kennedy Was Killed: How America Mourned a Fallen President.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 22 Nov. 2017, www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2017/10/26/how-america-mourned-john-f-kennedy-images-of-grief-for-a-fallen-president/.
3) “PRESIDENT KENNEDY ASSASSINATED.” The Irish Times, 23 Nov. 1963, pp. 1–1.
4) “World Mourns.” Evening Outlook, 22 Nov. 1963.
5) Staff, IrishCentral. “Coast Guard Member Reflects on Carrying JFK's Casket.” IrishCentral.com, IrishCentral, 25 Nov. 2018, www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/coast-guard-jfk-casket.amp.
6) Glass, Andrew. “LBJ Signs Voting Rights Act, Aug. 6, 1965.” POLITICO, 6 Aug. 2017,
www.politico.com/story/2017/08/06/lbj-signs-voting-rights-act-aug-6-1965-241256.
7) Wallenfeldt, Jeff. “Assassination of John F. Kennedy.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 6 Sept. 2019, www.britannica.com/event/assassination-of-John-F-Kennedy.
8) History.com Editors. “Voting Rights Act of 1965.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 9 Nov. 2009, https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/voting-rights-act.
9) “November 22, 1963: Death of the President.” JFK Library, https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/jfk-in-history/november-22-1963-death-of-the-president.
10) “John F. Kennedy Funeral.” WHHA (En-US), https://www.whitehousehistory.org/john-f-kennedy-funeral.