Kent Barker Collection / The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
Senator Kennedy announces his candidacy for President of the United States.
Listen to an excerpt from the oral history interview with Jacques Lowe, the Kennedys' personal photographer for many years, by clicking "Find out more."
Image: Kennedy's presidential campaign button features his face on a background of red, white and blue stripes.
A Fort Worth native, Griffin was outside the Hotel Texas when the Kennedys arrived on November 21, 1963. At the height of the Civil Rights Movement, Griffin traveled across the country and became active with the Black Panthers. Watch the video on YouTube.
The Sixth Floor Museum kicked off the symposium, "When Life Strikes the White House: Death, Scandal, Illness and the Responsibilities of a President," with a keynote lecture featuring syndicated columnist and lecturer Richard Reeves. Reeves is currently a lecturer at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communications and is the author of President Kennedy: Profile …
As part of The Sixth Floor Museum’s 25th anniversary commemoration, Associate Curator Stephen Fagin presented a history of the Museum based on his recent book, “Assassination and Commemoration: JFK, Dallas and The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza.” Watch the video on YouTube.
A Dallas police officer for 27 years, Pierce was in charge of basement security on the day of Lee Harvey Oswald’s scheduled transfer to the Dallas County Jail. Pierce drove his vehicle up the Main Street ramp at the same time that some believe Jack Ruby gained access to the basement. Watch the video on …
The eighth annual CSI Family Day at The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, set for Sunday, March 9, 2014, will give aspiring crime scene investigators a chance to learn modern investigative techniques for solving crime. Visitors will investigate a mock crime scene, receive a police report about what happened, and perform forensic analysis at …
Pigmans was a Pan Am stewardess aboard the White House press plane in the early 1960s and had met President Kennedy several times. She was at Dallas Love Field at the time of the assassination. Watch the video on YouTube.
As press aide to Governor John Connally in 1963, Read was traveling with the presidential party in Dallas. He was with Connally and his wife, Nellie, throughout the ordeal and later wrote about his experience in "JFK’s Final Hours in Texas" (2013). Watch the video on YouTube.
Did Dallas deserve the moniker, “The City of Hate” following President John F. Kennedy’s assassination in Dealey Plaza on November 22, 1963? Did the city’s pockets of extremism and paranoia of the time create an atmosphere where assassination of the president was possible? A screening of the documentary, “City of Hate: Dallas and the Assassination,” by …
The Sixth Floor Museum celebrated Navy Week 2014 and honored President Kennedy’s service in the United States Navy with a special performance by the Navy Band Mid-South’s brass quintet, Blues City Brass. The quintet performed a selection of patriotic classics, Broadway hits and popular music.
A U.S. Secret Service agent from 1961 to 1977, Coughlin served on the details of President Kennedy, President Johnson and Vice President Hubert Humphrey. He was part of the advance team for San Antonio on President Kennedy’s trip to Texas. Watch the video on YouTube.
A native of Germany, Ertle was an eyewitness to President Kennedy’s historic speech in West Berlin on June 26, 1963. She later moved to the United States and wrote a book about her early life, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, in 2013. After the program, Ertle remained to sign her book, “WALLED …
A longtime political reporter for the Dallas Times Herald, Shelton traveled with the presidential party during the November 1963 trip to Texas and later covered the Jack Ruby trial. Watch the video on YouTube.
An award-winning folksinger and songwriter based in New York, Lavin has recorded more than 20 solo albums since 1981. After visiting the Museum in the 1990s, she was inspired to write and record the song, “The Sixth Floor.” Watch the video on YouTube.
A headlining stripper at Jack Ruby’s Carousel Club at the time of the assassination, Myers was a performer under the stage name “Tammi True.” Myers knew Ruby for several years, having gone to Ruby’s Vegas Club as a teenager before working at the Carousel. Watch the video on YouTube.
Around 1:15 p.m. on Friday, November 22, 1963, duty placed Dallas Police Officer J.D. Tippit near the corner of Tenth and Patton streets in the Oak Cliff section of Dallas. Forty-five minutes after shots were fired at President John F. Kennedy’s motorcade in Dealey Plaza, Officer Tippit was shot and killed white questioning a subject. …
As WFAA-Radio program director, Allman was one of the first media representatives inside the Texas School Book Depository after the assassination. He is believed to have encountered Lee Harvey Oswald leaving the building. He currently narrates the Museum’s audio guide. Watch the video on YouTube.
A Dallas deputy sheriff in 1963, Boone discovered the rifle on the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository. Prior to joining the Sheriff’s Department, he worked at the Dallas Times Herald and had contact with Jack Ruby. Watch the video on YouTube.
Four young photographers working for the Dallas Times Herald in 1963 were assigned to the team tasked with capturing the President’s much-anticipated visit to Dallas. In what would quickly evolve into the most significant news story in the world, these men photographed the events of a unforgettable weekend. Watch the video on YouTube.
Karen Blessen is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, illustrator and founder of 29 Pieces, an art organization that mounted the Dallas LOVE Project, the largest public art project in Dallas' history as a tribute to President John F. Kennedy. She illustrated the children's book, Peace One Day, about the creation of World Peace Day. A book …
Allen Mondell has over 45 years of experience in television and film. He co-wrote, produced and directed the films seen in the permanent exhibition at The Sixth Floor Museum. He was serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Sierra Leone at the time of the assassination.
A Dallas police homicide detective who conducted crime scene investigations at the Texas School Book Depository following the assassination, Boyd also escorted Lee Harvey Oswald at Police Headquarters on the afternoon and evening of November 22, 1963. View this program on YouTube.
Pierce Allman is a career journalist, working as WFAA-Radio’s program director in 1963 covering President Kennedy’s visit to Dallas. He was one of the first reporters inside the Texas School Book Depository after shots were fired at the Kennedy motorcade.
A reporter and cameraman for Dallas-Fort Worth NBC affiliate WBAP-TV, Welch was at Love Field, the Trade Mart, and Parkland Memorial Hospital, where he captured the only known sound recording of the announcement of President Kennedy's death. View this program on YouTube.
As a longtime U.S. Secret Service agent, Giannoules served on the White House Detail for Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson. He worked the midnight shift at the Hotel Texas during President Kennedy's visit to Fort Worth on November 22, 1963. View this program on YouTube.
Hugh Aynesworth is a journalist and author who covered President Kennedy’s visit to Dallas for The Dallas Morning News and was the only reporter present for all of the major events that occurred the weekend of November 22-24, 1963. Later he was an investigative reporter for Newsweek, ABC's "20/20," The Washington Times and Dallas Times …
A social studies teacher at Bryan Adams High School in 1963, Kasten was also a member of the Dallas Police Reserves. He was working crowd control on Commerce Street at the time of the Oswald shooting. View this program on YouTube.
Many families sail together, but the Kennedys’ relationship with Victura, the 25-foot sloop purchased in 1932 shortly after the family’s move to Hyannis Port, stands apart. Author and sailor James W. Graham explores the influence sailing had on JFK, shaping his character throughout his life and political career. The program was followed by a book signing. …
A songwriter and schoolteacher in Canada, Garbe has maintained a lifelong interest in the Kennedy assassination. After visiting Dealey Plaza, he wrote a series of songs about the tragedy which was produced as a concept album, The Kennedy Suite, in 2013. View this program on YouTube. Download "The Kennedy Suite" (78.6mb) | View the Lyrics & Artwork
President John F. Kennedy was committed to establishing the United States as a leader in space travel and transportation technology. His dedication to the mission of the exploration of outer space led to the development and expansion of NASA. Panelists will discuss the progression of NASA’s programming and role in space technology throughout the past …
The late Norman Mailer saw in John F. Kennedy, “a hero capture the secret imagination of a people, and so be good for the vitality of his nation.” Mailer’s 1960 profile of the then-presidential candidate, written for Esquire magazine, galvanized excitement for Kennedy just days before the election, and its radical writing style changed the …
A women's news reporter for The Dallas Morning News in 1963, Pillsworth witnessed the assassination from the north side of Elm Street. The following year she joined the Peace Corps. View this program on YouTube.
A collaboration between The Dallas Morning News, The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza and several eyewitnesses to history Dallas 1963, Portraits: History Lived was a series of current photographs of people who witnessed some part of the Kennedys’ 1963 visit to Dallas, the assassination of the president or its aftermath. In commemoration of the 52nd anniversary of the …
Recent national events have brought to light the issue of deep civil unrest facing America’s minority populations, proving that the topic of race relations is still at the forefront of both social and media consciousness. Through a curated conversation led by noted Fort Worth Star Telegram columnist and community activist Bob Ray Sanders, this complicated …
Recent national events have brought to light the issue of deep civil unrest facing America’s minority populations, proving that the topic of race relations is still at the forefront of both social and media consciousness. Through a curated conversation led by noted Fort Worth Star Telegram columnist and community activist Bob Ray Sanders, this complicated …
This special program on the anniversary of President Kennedy’s death offered an exclusive look at rarely seen films, photographs and new oral history recordings from our collection. Lead by our associate curator Stephen Fagin, this program focused on how recent acquisitions helped the Museum continue to build a more complete story of that fateful day. Audience members …
In memory of President John F. Kennedy, Gathering for Music: A Community Response to Violence was a chamber music concert that raised money for The Stewpot shelter for the homeless. Performers included Dallas Symphony performers Sarah Kienle on viola, Shu Lee and Bruce Wittrig on violin, and Nan Zhang on cello. The program featured Barber Adagio for …
A collaboration between The Dallas Morning News, The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza and several eyewitnesses to history Dallas 1963, Portraits: History Lived was a series of current photographs of people who witnessed some part of the Kennedys’ 1963 visit to Dallas, the assassination of the president or its aftermath. In commemoration of the 52nd anniversary of the …
With the recent restoration of ties between Cuba and America and the steps being taken toward removing the five-decade embargo against the Latin country, Fort Worth Opera hosted a conversation evaluating JFK’s decision to enforce the blockade, its economic impact during the past 50 years, why both President Bush and President Obama made strides to …
Dr. Hal Wert, curator of the temporary exhibit, Sign of the Times: The Great American Political Poster 1844-2012, explored the stories behind the posters and the intriguing political messages that have changed throughout the years. The project was supported in part by an award from Mid-America Arts Alliance, The National Endowment for the Arts, Texas …
The Fort Worth Opera Festival presented the world premiere of the opera JFK in April 2016. A special symposia, presented in partnership with The Sixth Floor Museum, explored different topics related to President Kennedy's administration. Covering Tragedy: Journalism in a Changing World was presented in partnership with North Texas public broadcast KERA and explored the evolution of media …
The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza and The Dallas Theater Center partnered to present programming for the Dallas premiere of the play, All the Way, winner of a 2014 Tony Award®. This panel discussion compared Presidents Kennedy and Johnson and showcased firsthand accounts from November 22, 1963 from the perspective of politics, presidential security …
Jack and Jackie Kennedy were avid supporters of the visual and performing arts, and under his presidency developed positions that empowered the arts and gave a voice to architecture. They hosted White House parties in honor of famous artists, and JFK supported the creation of the GSA Art in Architecture Program to oversee the commission …
Become a Crime Scene Investigator and solve a crime by identifying forged documents, reading eyewitness accounts or analyzing fingerprints! The Sixth Floor Museum partnered with University of North Texas Forensic Science Program, one of only 14 undergraduate programs in the country that is accredited by the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, to present CSI Family …
Former Secret Service agent Clint Hill, who was in President Kennedy's motorcade in Dallas, discussed his new book, Five Presidents: My Extraordinary Journey with Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon and Ford with co-author Lisa McCubbin. View this program on YouTube.
Historian and Director Emeritus of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History Brent D. Glass discussed his new book. A guide to the most important cultural and historic sites in the U.S. From Mesa Verde to the Mall of America tells the collective story of America. Presented in partnership with Frontiers of Flight Museum and …
In 1960: LBJ vs. JFK vs. Nixon, award-winning presidential historian David Pietrusza crafted a revealing, electrifying portrait of the first modern-day presidential campaign, the epic battle between Sen. John F. Kennedy and Vice President Richard Nixon. It was the first campaign to utilize the power of television, the first in which all fifty states would participate and …
Photographs and artifacts tell unique and sometimes surprising stories. This new temporary exhibit highlighted the Museum’s favorite—and most interesting—objects and images from the 1960 campaign, including materials from Senator Kennedy’s visit to the Dallas-Fort Worth area in September 1960.
In this workshop, educators toured the A Time for Greatness exhibit, sampled the TEKS- aligned education programs and lesson plans designed to accompany the exhibit, and interacted with curatorial staff. Showcasing campaign memorabilia, photographs and film from The Sixth Floor Museum’s collection, this colorful look at the 1960 Kennedy campaign offered a timely exploration of …
Photographs and artifacts tell unique and sometimes surprising stories. This new temporary exhibit highlighted the Museum’s favorite—and most interesting—objects and images from the 1960 campaign, including materials from Senator Kennedy’s visit to the Dallas-Fort Worth area in September 1960.
In the final days of the 1960 campaign, Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson and his wife Lady Bird were accosted by demonstrators while visiting Dallas. This incident gained national media attention at the time, and it would return immediately after the assassination in 1963 as a powerful example of the city’s volatile political atmosphere. Through …
In 1960: LBJ vs. JFK vs. Nixon, award-winning presidential historian David Pietrusza crafted a revealing, electrifying portrait of the first modern-day presidential campaign, the epic battle between Sen. John F. Kennedy and Vice President Richard Nixon. It was the first campaign to utilize the power of television, the first in which all fifty states would participate and …
Photographs and artifacts tell unique and sometimes surprising stories. This new temporary exhibit highlighted the Museum’s favorite—and most interesting—objects and images from the 1960 campaign, including materials from Senator Kennedy’s visit to the Dallas-Fort Worth area in September 1960.
Cuba, often at center stage in international affairs, is again the focus of global attention. After Fidel Castro stepped down after nearly fifty years as Cuba's leader, his brother, Raúl Castro, embarked upon a series of reforms that are gradually but fundamentally changing the country. The 2014 announcement to normalize Cuba-U.S. relations after over five …
Mrs. Nixon and Mrs. Kennedy both supported their husbands as they campaigned for president but did so in very different ways. Mrs. Nixon accompanied her husband everywhere, and he referred to her in almost every speech. Mrs. Kennedy hated campaigning and avoided it when possible – aided in part by her pregnancy. This exploration of …
There is much more to the story of the 1960 campaign than the Museum was able to tell in its A Time for Greatness exhibit. The curatorial staff led an informal question-and-answer session that explored many of the topics touched on in the exhibit as well as new areas of discussion raised by the audience. …
On August 2, 1943, Lt. John F. Kennedy’s motor torpedo boat PT-109 was sunk in the Pacific Theater. Kennedy, clenching a life jacket strap between his teeth to tow one injured crewmember, swam for four hours to lead survivors to a nearby island. This dramatic tale of World War II heroism framed Senator Kennedy’s political …
In the final days of the 1960 campaign, Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson and his wife Lady Bird were accosted by demonstrators while visiting Dallas. This incident gained national media attention at the time, and it would return immediately after the assassination in 1963 as a powerful example of the city’s volatile political atmosphere. Through …
In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Pulitzer Prizes, this program, which was presented by The Sixth Floor Museum and 29 Pieces, provided a platform to launch a powerful community dialogue on the toll of violence and war. The panel included five Pulitzer Prize-winning photographers and one winner of the International Women’s Media Foundation …
Photographs and artifacts tell unique and sometimes surprising stories. Join our collections staff inside our new temporary exhibit as we highlight our favorite—and most interesting—objects and images from the 1960 campaign, including materials from Senator Kennedy’s visit to the Dallas-Fort Worth area in September 1960.
Mrs. Nixon and Mrs. Kennedy both supported their husbands as they campaigned for president but did so in very different ways. Mrs. Nixon accompanied her husband everywhere, and he referred to her in almost every speech. Mrs. Kennedy hated campaigning and avoided it when possible – aided in part by her pregnancy. This exploration of …
On August 2, 1943, Lt. John F. Kennedy’s motor torpedo boat PT-109 was sunk in the Pacific Theater. Kennedy, clenching a life jacket strap between his teeth to tow one injured crewmember, swam for four hours to lead survivors to a nearby island. This dramatic tale of World War II heroism framed Senator Kennedy’s political …
There is much more to the story of the 1960 campaign than the Museum was able to tell in its A Time for Greatness exhibit. The curatorial staff led an informal question-and-answer session that explored many of the topics touched on in the exhibit as well as new areas of discussion raised by the audience.
Abraham Zapruder’s home movie capturing the assassination of President John F. Kennedy as his motorcade passed through Dealey Plaza includes perhaps the most iconic 26 seconds of film in history—the first major instance of citizen journalism. On the anniversary of President Kennedy’s death, Abraham Zapruder’s granddaughter, Alexandra Zapruder, discussed her new book, Twenty-Six Seconds: A …
This teacher workshop, held on the opening day of the Museum’s new exhibit, Amending America: The Bill of Rights, featured special guest presenters Jenny Sweeney from National Archives Fort Worth and Sharon Brannon from the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum. This professional development opportunity provided educators of grades 5-12 with new ways to …
In celebration of the 28th anniversary of The Sixth Floor Museum on Presidents Day, this special program featured constitutional law expert Professor Lackland H. Bloom, Jr. of Southern Methodist University. Dr. Bloom examined the creation of the Bill of Rights with special emphasis on the First Amendment in conjunction with the temporary exhibition Amending America: …
Evidence from a recent crime + New technology applied to a cold case = Two crimes to solve! Do you have what it takes to be a Crime Scene Investigator? Study the crime scenes and analyze clues left behind using UV fluorescence as well as burn pattern, blood spatter and glass breakage analyses to crack …
Renowned forensic pathologist, consultant and author Dr. Cyril H. Wecht, who has spent more than 50 years researching President Kennedy’s assassination, presented a multimedia lecture on key areas of the Warren Commission’s 1964 investigation, including President Kennedy’s autopsy and the controversial single bullet theory. As a distinguished elder statesman of the assassination research community and …
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of President John F. Kennedy, this program featured a conversation between the president’s nephew Stephen Kennedy Smith, noted historian Douglas Brinkley and acclaimed journalist Rena Pederson. Kennedy Smith and Brinkley are co-authors of JFK: A Vision For America, a compilation of President Kennedy’s greatest speeches with commentary …
This workshop included primary source activities and guest speakers to put into context the struggle for equal rights from 1776 through today and looking onward. Teachers broaden their own content knowledge and develop primary source-based lesson plans that demonstrate the significance and relevance of historic civil rights milestones. Speakers: Julie L. Hershenberg, J.D., M.A., M.P.T., …
Armed with newly released documents from the original prosecution file, Judge Brandon Birmingham and criminal defense attorney/former Dallas County assistant district attorney Toby Shook told the story of the “trial of the century” that played out just months later in a Dallas courtroom. View this program on YouTube.
In a special program marking the 55th anniversary of the Cuban missile crisis, former White House correspondent Sid Davis shared his memories of being in the Oval Office in October 1962 when President Kennedy demanded the removal of Soviet missiles from Cuba. Davis was also in the motorcade in Dallas on November 22, 1963 and …
