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| A single frame of film shows the instant after he was shot. |
Carol (my wife): I was in my junior year in high school when they announced that the President had been shot. We were told to go to our homerooms immediately. Many girls were crying in the halls as I walked to my homeroom. When we were all in our homerooms they came over the intercom with the news that President Kennedy had been shot and was dead. Silence fell over the kids in my homeroom. Shortly after that they announced that school was dismissed for the day.
Jerry: I was aboard the USS Holder somewhere at sea in the Caribbean. I just began a tour at sea a week before and about 2 weeks after I got married on November 7. The ship's intercom made the announcement that the President had been shot and killed. We immediately went to General Quarters and were put on high alert. The flags were dropped to half mast.
Sue: I was at the Lancaster Shopping Center shopping at Kresge's when the news spread via other shoppers. I thought it must just be a rumor …… but rushed home to the TV. Spent the remainder of the day between doing the necessary things such as caring for our 9 month old son and watching TV. Just couldn't believe it.
ncguy: I was in the first grade and the teachers were in the hallway talking about President Kennedy just being shot. I remember watching the funeral on a B&W tv.
GaKaye: I was in my high school (Freshman) English Class. The principal came over the PA system and announced the President had been shot. Schools were immediately closed and we went home. I remember the shock, and watching TV coverage (black and white, of course) for hours on end. We were living in Alexandria, VA at the time, right across the river from DC.
Charlieh: I hope my mind never fades to the point that I can't remember this very memorable event. I was a high school junior at a boarding school. We were all in the school assembly room where we each had a desk and were taking exams. We had formal exams every 2 and 6 weeks and 3 months. School thinking was that after 4 years, we would be prepared for taking exams in college. When the exam period was over that afternoon (we did not have any access to TVs as students), the headmaster appeared on the stage and told us that we were all now going to the chapel to pray for our president, who had just been shot. Stunned, the entire student body then went to a special service in our chapel, which by the way, is the same chapel where I was married in 1969. During the school year we had a few dances, which were a big deal, since this was an all boys school. Surprisingly enough, the school still had the dance on that Saturday night. It was stunning that it was not called off. My parents brought my date for the dance from back home. On the day after the dance, I was in my parents' hotel room and saw the Ruby shooting on that Sunday. Boy oh boy was that a weird time in my life.
madisoncty: I was in Mrs. Witt's 5th grade class at Macksburg Community School, in the very small town of Macksburg, Iowa. Mrs. Witt was called to the door; she stood there a moment, turned and with tears in her eyes, told our small class. She then broke down sobbing as we all just sat there stunned. I am now as old as dirt but still remember it as if it were yesterday.
kate: I am Canadian....but remember it as if was yesterday....was in grade school....the teacher went out of the classroom & came back & said the President had been killed....it was a Catholic Girl's School & we all got on our knees to pray...know that i think about it maybe the nuns made us pray because he was Irish Catholic...watched then the funeral on the black & white TV....always loved the way Jackie dressed....even as a young girl.
pat: I was in my junior year of high school and had left school early that day for a dental appointment. My Mom and I were driving along the local highway when the announcer broke into the song that was playing on the radio and made the announcement that President Kennedy had been shot and was being rushed to Parkland Hospital. My Mom had to pull the car over to the side of the road and regain her composure and by the time we got to the dental office, they had already come out with the announcment that it was believed the President had died. Needless to say, the doctor cancelled the appointment and we headed home to glue ourselves to the black and white tv for the next few days. It was an unbelievable time and I truly believe anyone alive who was old enough to know about Camelot and the Kennedys will remember that day just as they will 9/11. There are times in our lives that are unforgetable - my Dad used to speak of the day Pearl Harbor was bombed and then Kennedy's assassination and for me it will be Kennedy's murder and the World Trade Center attack.
marksxm: It's actually one of my first memories. Got off the bus from Kindergarten, age 5, in Bethesda, Maryland, and when I went in my mom & 3 adults (a realtor and a couple looking at our house which was for sale)were sitting on the couch crying. I asked why everyone was crying and my mom said president Kennedy had just been killed. I can still see the fuzzy black & white TV….
TSelma: I was 8 years old. Our teacher was called out of the room by a staff member. She informed us what had happened and we were dismissed for the day. I remember watching the sky in fear as I walked home. I expected it to be filled with atomic missiles heading towards and away from us. I never felt that way again until 9/11. I also remember watching the funeral procession on TV. The band played the same song endlessly as the procession slowly made their way to his final resting place. I think it was "Faith of our Fathers".
jazzgal: I was a Junior in HS but had the day off. My boyfriend and I had driven north to the Seattle area as his sister was being married that afternoon. We were getting ready to leave a relative's house to go to the wedding site when the news came on the TV. The wedding was postponed until the next day as we all watched TV for the rest of that day.
fabila: I was in second grade and remember the news also coming over the PA system that the President had been shot. Our teacher, a nun asked us all to get down on our knees and pray for the President. So we all got down on the side of our desks and said a prayer. Beyond that I have no other recollection of the day.
SXMWendell: I was in my 6th grade classroom. The 5th grade teacher came to the classroom door and motioned for my teacher to come into the hall with him. They both returned to my classroom and my teacher announced President Kennedy has been shot.
libra46: I had only lived in DC a couple of months at the time. I was in class when we were notified "the Pres. had been shot", later it was confirmed he had died. Later that night some friends and I rode around DC, it was like a ghost town, it was as if the entire town had died, so sad.
LONGISLANDSHARON: I was a junior in high school, Riverhead NY. I had been chosen to compete in the All-State Choir and the concert was to be held that weekend. Arthur Fiedler was directing the orchestra. An administrator came into the rehearsal hall and told us the news. As corny as it sounds, we all sang 'Kumbaya'. The whole event was cancelled.
GrahamJ: I was in Grade 9. We were in English class and we were listening to a recording of Edgar Allen Poe's "A Tell Tale Heart". The vice-principal came into the class and stopped the record. (Yes, it was an LP!) He said I have a real life horror story for you and told us the President and the Governor of Texas had been shot. We lived in B.C.(British Columbia) and I believe it was just before noon pacific time. We went for lunch and later learned the President had died. School was dismissed for the afternoon.
marybeth: I was in my 6th grade classroom watching a French lesson on the TV. Mrs Mule, a 7th grade teacher came to the door & beckoned Sister Therese to the hall. Sister came back in the room, changed the channel to a local TV station & told us JFK had been shot. We watched for a few minutes & then the rosary beads came out & we all said the rosary as we were trying to listen to the TV. Then it was announced he had died & the whole school said the rosary using the PA system. I will never forget how I felt that day.
Bill S: I was a Freshman at Syracuse University, and a "townie" or commuter student, living at home 10 minutes from campus. I was in the "commuter students lounge" in the "Womans gym building" and the TV was on while I worked on homework between classes. The local NBC outlet, WSYR, interrupted regular programming and "went to network" to cover the breaking story. It was also ironic, since I was working my way through college as an FCC licensed Broadcast Engineer at WSYR at the time.
TomR: I was a Military Policeman on patrol in Neu Ulm Germany. My partner and I had just left a notoriously rough and tumble bar after telling all of the soldiers to report immediately back to base. As I sat in our jeep ready to leave, an older man ran out of the bar and up to me. He reached for my shoulder. Thinking that he was going to try to pull me out of the jeep, I reached for my club. Instead of grabbing my lanyard, he put his head on my shoulder and began to cry. It was a moment I will never forget.
Tinman31: Was in Sister Phylis 1st grade class at St. Martin of Tours Grammar school. Catholic and all you saw was the young nun's face crying (the habit covered all features but the face, not even a wisp of hair) and dismissed us. Got off the school bus at the Long Island suburb of Levittown and our parents met us crying also. Parents did not drop off or have to worry about a pick up of young children in 1963 in our town. It was a very safe world up till then. The country I believe has not been the same since, I get the chills watching JFK w/ Kevin Costner. I am also a US Air Force vet. We may never know what happened in our lifetime. Very sad and historical. Crime of the century.
Southshore: I live in Canada and I was 13 at the time, in my first year of high school, in the middle of exams. I had an exam in the morning and came home for lunch with a few friends planning to study together that afternoon for the exam the next morning. My Mom made lunch for us all and as we sat around the table, my Dad, who worked for newspaper, phoned from work, told us to turn on the TV. I remember we all sat staring at the TV, then looked at each other and started to cry. My Mom brought in dessert for everyone - mint-chocolate pudding. I couldn't eat it that day and I have never been able to stomach that combination since. Silly and unimportant in the grand scheme of things but I still associate the two.
Barbara: I had just graduated from college and had moved to NYC in June. I remember all of it like it was yesterday. I was working as a social worker in a foster care agency. I was in the basement organizing Christmas gifts for all the foster children. Someone came to tell me the news. I remember riding home on the subway surrounded by people with stunned faces and people crying all around me. I remember that night my parents were coming from PA to visit me and I had to meet them at Port Authority. I remember seeing crying people all over the terminal, including me.....just standing there in the middle of Port Authority, unable to stop the tears. I remember all the days that followed too. It was a nightmare I will never forget.
bettenan: I was in 7th grade (I was 12 years old) and had walked home from Jr High with my best friend, Franny Roth. When we got to her house her mother (was crying) and told us what happened and told me to run home. I remembered running the few blocks to my house and my parents who worked for the government (together) were pulling up in front of the house. They had been dismissed early. I can still remember my parent crying. Franny and I are still friends and still talk about the day. Like others that day is etched forever in my mind.
Cincinnati Kid: This event occured my junior year at Middletown High School. During history class, Berman Litton, my teacher, was called to the hallway. He returned to the class upset and told us that President Kennedy had been shot. Class ended with prayers for the President. During the campaign both Nixon and Kennedy had passed by our school in open convertibles and most of us had seen both in person. It reminded me of the moment we first heard that Marilyn Monroe had died.
lobstaroll123: I was in sixth grade at Washington Street School, Springfield, MA. It was almost time to dismiss and as sixth graders were got to patrol the halls and staircases. As I stood at my post, a swarm of kids descended the stairwells screaming that the President had been shot and killed. I didn't know what to think or where to turn when I spotted my mom on the playground, in tears, ready to pick up my brother and me. We spent the following days glued to the television, though I didn't see Jack Ruby shoot Lee Harvey Oswald live on television. My dad, a construction laborer, who hardly ever had a day off from the job, had the day of the funeral off and we were again glued to the television. Being from Massachusetts and spending time in RI, the sadness of the beautiful Newport wedding and Hyannis port compound resonated and still does today Thanks for asking.
hottubdiva: I was almost 8 years old. My dad was career Army and we were stationed in Heidelberg, Germany. When word was received on base that the President had been shot the base was shut down, all leaves were cancelled, and we went on high alert. Bear in mind that tensions were high already in Germany because of the Berlin Wall. For 30 nights we had a 21-gun salute with canons as the base flag was lowered. You could hear the canons all over the base.
sumbeach: Looks like I'm a bit late on this. Another 11th grader - in drafting class in El Paso. Vice Principal Quizenberry came to our class and told what happened. He had totally broken down and was barely coherent. I remember they closed the border, I think for at least a week.
jrr1148: I was a freshman in High School. I remember we were either off that day or had a half day, since I was at home in my room. My Grandmother, an avid soap opera fan, had been watching "As the World Turns" when the bulletin occurred. She notified the entire household and we huddled around the tv for the next four days.
CanadianAllan: Kennedy was a big deal in our home in Southern Ontario in Canada because he was the first Catholic President and we were only an hour from the border. 8th Grade and our Principal, a Nun came on the Classroom intercom and simply said that "Mr. Kennedy had been shot". We all immediately looked at Colleen Kennedy a classmate who went shock white. It is true, funny what you remember, though it was certainly not funny and our TV remained on, Dawn to Test Pattern. I recall on witnessing Oswald get shot, that my Stepfather exclaimed "Good, he deserved it" That Funeral Procession still waters my eyes to this day.
DnCnVA: Well, that was my 12th birthday, and before heading off to school, my parents had given me a birthday present: a model kit of PT-109. At school that morning, my teacher gave us an assignment to write a practice "business letter" to someone. So, I wrote a letter to President Kennedy telling him about receiving the model for my birthday present. That afternoon, at a school assembly in the cafeteria, the student "officers" were seated in front. About 1:30, our principal approached the stage and announced the terrible news to us...in my innocent ignorance, I thought someone had shot our student president ! After school was immediately dismissed, my brother and I walked home. Our mom had been baking a birthday cake, hadn't heard the news, and asked what we were doing home early...she didn't stop crying all weekend. We lived in Northern Virginia, so after my dad got home, we drove to the White House and joined a small crowd of people standing outside the fence...I wasn't sure why but it seemed the right thing to do. My memory of the rest of the weekend is a blur of my parents being glued to the TV and my mother crying...I'll never forget it.
After the last comment I thought it was time to publish my story. As you can see the response has been tremendous. Many wished to share their vivid memories of the assassination and the days that followed. Thanks to all who responded to my inquiry and although I only used about half of the responses, you can see that the poster's nationality, religion, or sex had no bearing on the tremendous loss the United States suffered November 22, 1963, 50 years ago today. May that never happen again!! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
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