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.
For the 5th straight year, CSI Family Day gives guests the chance to examine a mock crime scene, perform forensic analysis at evidence stations and solve a hypothetical crime. It’s a fun and engaging way to learn about modern investigative techniques and the real-life challenges to solving crime.
Journey back to the day of the Kennedy assassination and experience the emotion of that historic event through still photography and firsthand accounts. More than 60 photographs from the Museum collections provide the backdrop to a dramatic voice over by the Museum’s Associate Curator, Stephen Fagin, who draws upon over 35 oral history interviews.
America's second civilian astronaut, Walt Cunningham in 1968 was the lunar module pilot for Apollo 7, the first manned mission in the Apollo program. He joined NASA in October 1963, less than one month before the Kennedy assassination. Watch the video on YouTube.
The Museum’s collection of civil rights materials includes historic photographs of Dallas’ Piccadilly Cafeteria desegregation protests in 1964, oral histories with members of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, as well as a civil rights training handbook and activist support poster. Collections Manager Lindsey Richardson shared these amazing, rarely-seen items.
The Museum’s collection includes artifacts, photographs and films related to the assassination crime scene investigation at the Texas School Book Depository. Learn exactly what was in the crime scene investigative kit that belonged to Lt. Carl Day, head of the Dallas Police Crime Scene Search Unit in 1963.
Journey back to the day of President Kennedy’s assassination and experience the emotion of this historic event through still photography and firsthand accounts. More than 60 photographs from the Museum collections provide the backdrop to a dramatic voice over by the Museum’s Associate Curator Stephen Fagin, who draws upon over 35 oral history interviews.
On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in downtown Dallas. If you had the chance to change history, would you? Stephen King’s latest novel "11/22/63" addresses this very scenario as the book’s main character travels back in time on a mission to prevent the assassination of President Kennedy. In what is expected …
On November 22, 1963 Dick Stolley, Los Angeles bureau chief for Life Magazine, was urgently summoned to the ticker tape machine: “The President has been shot,” he was told. He jumped on a plane to Dallas, tracked down Abraham Zapruder and managed to secure the rights to his home movie film, the only eyewitness film to …
Marquette University political scientist Dr. John McAdams addressed how to think, reason and understand conspiracy theories about the Kennedy assassination. Museum Curator Gary Mack moderated the conversation with Dr. McAdams, which provided a blueprint for understanding why conspiracy theories arise and how to evaluate their often contradictory claims.
A respected longtime newspaper, radio and television journalist in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Sanders was attending high school at an African-American school in Fort Worth in 1963. On Thanksgiving Day that year, his marching band performed a memorial tribute to President Kennedy. Sanders was later an active supporter of the civil rights and peace movements …
To commemorate Presidents Day, The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza is collaborating with SMU’s Tower Center for a discussion titled The Vital South and Presidential Elections, 1960 – 2012. In 1960, John F. Kennedy was elected to the White House in one of the closest contests in American electoral history. The South was instrumental …
A nurse at Parkland Hospital in 1963, Phyllis Hall was an observer and participant in Trauma Room One during the treatment of President Kennedy. Watch the video on YouTube.
For the 6th straight year, CSI Family Day gives guests the chance to examine a mock crime scene, perform forensic analysis at evidence stations and solve a hypothetical crime. It’s a fun and engaging way to learn about modern investigative techniques and the real-life challenges to solving crime. Free with paid admission to the Museum, …
Discover how educators at history museums and archives convey the complex stories of the American presidents with students of all ages in this panel conversation with staff from The Sixth Floor Museum, LBJ Library and Museum, George W. Bush Presidential Library and National Archives and Records Administration Fort Worth.
For four years, from the election of John Fitzgerald Kennedy in November 1960 until after the election of Lyndon Johnson in 1964, Clint Hill was the Secret Service agent assigned to guard Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. During that time, he went from being a reluctant guardian to a fiercely loyal watchdog and, in many ways, her …
Moderated by KERA’s Lee Cullum, Matthews discussed President Kennedy’s enduring legacy and the current state of politics in this momentous presidential election year. "Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero" is based on personal interviews with those closest to President Kennedy, oral histories, documents from his years as a student at Choate and notes from Jacqueline Kennedy’s first …
The only full-time Tarrant County deputy sheriff in 1963, Sonny Fisher was on horseback outside the Hotel Texas on the morning of the assassination. President Kennedy was photographed with Fisher and his horse, Snuffy.
The closest civilian eyewitnesses to President Kennedy at the time of the fatal shot, the Newmans were on the north side of Dealey Plaza and shielded their small children after the shots were fired. They were then interviewed on live television approximately fifteen minutes after the assassination.
Hear from a collection of law enforcement officials, photographers and reporters who were at or near Dallas Police Headquarters when Lee Harvey Oswald was shot by nightclub owner Jack Ruby. Featured panelists included Gary DeLaune, Bob Huffaker, Bob Jackson, James Leavelle and Fred Rheinstein. Moderated by WFAA-TV’s Gloria Campos. Watch the video on YouTube.
A Dallas-based pastor, the Rev. McElvaney was involved in the 1960s desegregation of schools in Mesquite, Texas, and later participated in Vietnam War protests in Dealey Plaza. Watch the video on YouTube.
Selected as the tenth juror in the Jack Ruby trial in 1964, Rose kept a diary throughout the trial. The diary and other items from Rose are now part of the Museum's collection. Watch the video on YouTube.
As we change, so do our memories. While Dallas and the world prepare to mark the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy's assassination, it is worth reflecting upon how we understand milestones, the changing nature of history, and our own recollections. Join three pre-eminent historians of American history for a conversation exploring the role …
Learn about modern investigative techniques of crime solving during CSI Family Day. It’s a fun afternoon for youth groups, families and children 8 years and older interested in crime investigation.
The youngest United Press International reporter at the Dallas bureau in 1963, Hampton covered suspect Lee Harvey Oswald at Dallas Police Headquarters. He later wrote a young adult history book, "Kennedy Assassinated! The World Mourns: A Reporter's Story" (1997). Watch the video on YouTube.
While a lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1962, Major Lee served on the "Death Watch" for the late President Kennedy's casket at the White House and U.S. Capitol Rotunda. Watch the video on YouTube.
Learn about the history and development of The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza during this special conversation between Museum Associate Curator Stephen Fagin and the Museum’s two key founders, historian Conover Hunt and preservation activist Lindalyn Adams. The program marks the publication of Fagin’s new book, Assassination and Commemoration: JFK, Dallas, and The Sixth …
During the 1960s, McMillan was a prominent member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. He was an outspoken African-American activist attending Morehouse College in Atlanta at the time of President Kennedy's assassination. Watch the video on YouTube.
An employee of the Texas School Book Depository, Frazier occasionally drove Lee Harvey Oswald to work, including the day of November 22, 1963. Frazier witnessed the assassination and was questioned extensively by Dallas investigators. Watch the video on YouTube.
A Dallas native, Dr. McConnell was Medical Officer of the Day at the Pentagon on November 22, 1963, and was assigned duties at the White House, U.S. Capitol and Arlington National Cemetery that weekend. Watch the video on YouTube.
A Pulitzer Prize-winning political reporter for the Associated Press for more than 40 years, Mears covered every presidential election from 1960 to 2000. He later wrote "The Kennedy Brothers" (2009). Watch the video on YouTube.
Within six minutes of the shooting in Dealey Plaza, the presidential limousine carrying President John F. Kennedy and Governor John Connally arrived at the Emergency Room entrance to Parkland Memorial Hospital. A team of doctors worked in vain to save the life of the president. Join us for a panel discussion with Dr. Ronald C. …
Journalist Hugh Aynesworth covered the Kennedy assassination for the Dallas Morning News. Aynesworth later worked for the Washington Times, Newsweek magazine, and ABC's 20/20. He shared memories of the assassination and signed copies of his book, November 22, 1963: Witness to History.
The President’s Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy—known as the Warren Commission—was established by President Lyndon B. Johnson on November 29, 1963. The Commission’s findings were submitted to President Johnson on September 24, 1964, and have been debated ever since. This unprecedented panel convenes several members of the Warren Commission staff to discuss their …
As Associated Press photographer, Kaufman was at the Fort Worth breakfast and Trade Mart luncheon on November 22, 1963. He took one of the first photos of Lee Harvey Oswald in custody and covered the Jack Ruby trial. Watch the video on YouTube.
Former KRLD journalists Bob Huffaker, Bill Mercer and Wes Wise were joined by former KRLD photographer George Phenix as they discuss memories of covering the Kennedy assassination in a new edition of their book, "When the News Went Live: Dallas, 1963". Watch the video on YouTube.
Dick Stolley, Bob Sullivan, Jim Baker and Alexandra Zapruder discussed and signed copies of their new book, "LIFE The Day Kennedy Died: Fifty Years Later: LIFE Remembers the Man and the Moment." Watch the video on YouTube.
Photojournalists whose iconic images of tragic events share what it's like to witness history through a camera lens, reflect on why their images have proved so enduring, and offer insight on why pictures have so much power to shape our understanding of tragedy. Panelists include Bob Jackson, formerly of The Dallas Times-Herald, who witnessed the …
Journalists share the stage with eyewitnesses who gave oral histories after the tragedy to discuss how original accounts have changed over the years. Some of the Sixth Floor Museum’s extensive archive of oral histories will be featured. Panelists will include The Dallas Morning News' David Tarrant interviewing eyewitness Bob Miller, who was the paper's city …
In 1963, Julian Read was the media representative for Governor John Connally, host of President Kennedy’s November visit to Texas. Read will discuss his new book, JFK’s Final Hours in Texas, in which he documents not only the immediate agony endured by the people in the epicenter of the tragedy, but also the continuing experience of …
The Newmans were the closest civilian eyewitnesses to President Kennedy at the time of the fatal shot and were interviewed on TV immediately after the assassination. This will be the first time all four family members have appeared together. Watch the video on YouTube.
Co-writer Steven L. Davis discussed and signed copies of his new book, Dallas 1963, an in-depth exploration of the swirling forces that led many people to warn President Kennedy to avoid Dallas on his fateful trip to Texas. Moderator was KERA’s Jerome Weeks. Watch the video on YouTube.
The Nasher Sculpture Center will present an encore performance of its commemorative Soundings concert, One Red Rose, on the seventh floor of The Sixth Floor Museum. One Red Rose was written by internationally renowned composer Steven Mackey for the Brentano String Quartet in honor of the anniversary of President Kennedy’s death. It was commissioned by the Nasher with Carnegie Hall …
A reporter for the New York Herald Tribune in 1963, Carroll covered the scene at Dallas police headquarters and witnessed the shooting of Lee Harvey Oswald. He co-wrote attorney Melvin Belli’s "Dallas Justice" (1964). Watch the video on YouTube.
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 …
