Remembering November 22, 1963

Dealey Plaza

Today marks the 56th anniversary of the assassination of President John F Kennedy in Dallas. It just so happens that I was in Dallas a couple of weeks ago and visited Dealey Plaza. I had been there many years earlier, but on this occasion (last Tuesday), my wife and I were able to visit the 6th floor of the former Texas Schoolbook Depository, which is now a museum, as well as take an hour-long trolley tour past the notable landmarks of that day in 1963.

The Schoolbook Depository Museum on the 6th floor contains displays and exhibits from President Kennedy's political career as well as from the assassination itself. There is a model of Dealey Plaza created by the FBI as part of their investigation. The actual suit worn by the Dallas police officer handcuffed to Lee Harvey Oswald at the moment he was shot by Jack Ruby, the handcuffs, as well as the hat Ruby wore are on display.




One can stand along the windows facing Dealey Plaza and see where Oswald fired the shots and then ditched the rifle. Below on Elm Street is an X which marks the spot where Kennedy was fatally struck.

Even more interesting to me was the tour of the other sites connected to the assassination, mostly retracing the route Oswald took after he fled the Schoolbook Depository. The first stop was the rooming house on N. Beckley in the Oak Cliff area, where Oswald was living, which was his first stop during his flight. It is located in a drab, working class neighborhood outside the downtown area.



Oswald then proceeded on foot through the neighborhood before being confronted by Dallas police officer, JD Tippit on W 10th Street where Tippit was fatally shot. That was our second stop.




Oswald then proceeded to Jackson Blvd. around the corner and ducked into the Texas Theater, which still stands. That is where he was located and arrested thanks to citizens who notified the police.



Then we returned downtown following the final route on Main Street-Houston-Elm where the Kennedy motorcade traveled. We also stopped in front of the old city jail by the ramp where Ruby walked down into the garage and shot Oswald as he was being transferred to the county jail.

One thing that is very striking to the visitor is the fact that most of the sites associated with the assassination look today just as they did in 1963. Dealey Plaza is still a city thoroughfare, and I keep thinking how eery it must be to drive through there at night.

If you are visiting Dallas, especially if you lived through that day, I encourage you to take the tours I described above. For our generation, November 22, 1963 was our (first) 9-11. It's a day we will never forget.