“I want them to see what they’ve done to Jack.” Famous words uttered by Jackie Kennedy after the assassination of her husband John F. Kennedy. On November 22, 1963 President Kennedy was in Dallas, Texas campaigning for the 1964 presidential election, when suddenly at 12:29pm a rogue bullet was shot; 12:30 another two bullets were shot – the first hit his neck the second hitting his head.
The president had been shot. On their way to the hospital Jackie Kennedy was desperately trying to gather debris from Jack’s head and allegedly even tried “piecing his skull back together out of shock.” At 1:00pm J.F.K. was pronounced dead. For the next 24 hours Jackie Kennedy refused to take off her pink dress suit and the suit is stored in National Archives till this day and it is rumored that it will not be shown to the public until 2103. She even wore the dress as Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn into presidency.
The assassination of J.F.K. was a historic turning point in American history because it led lots of Americans to have doubt and worry of what the future would hold. His supporters lost optimism, and it raised concern about a civil rights bill that was in congress and many wondered if it would still be passed. In past times when a president of the USA passed away unexpectedly major/important changes had been finalized. However, with JFK’s death there was lots of commotion going on within, and outside of, the country.
One of the biggest things that was going on was the Cold War, the US and The Soviet Union were in a period of geopolitical tension with one another.
I asked Maritza Jimenez, a sophomore, what her thoughts on the assassination of JFK were:
“I think it was a horrible time because it caused a turning point in American history because it caused people to doubt if civil rights laws were going to be passed.”
What do you think about the significance of Jackie Kennedy not having taken off her dress?
“I think the significance of that is it can be traced back to the killer and so that the world can see what tragedy had happened to her husband.”
Do you think she made an impact by not taking it off?
“Yes, It sent the message that although in situations it might not have been the right thing to do but it was an impactful situation.”