11-22-63

[Rocky]

Yesterday passed without a lot of attention given to the anniversary of the JFK assassination in Dallas. For those off us who were alive at the time an old enough to remember that day, we can all remember exactly what we were doing when we heard the news. My experience was surreal and I still get the "twilight zone" theme in my mind when I think of it.

I was in art school in Pittsburgh (this was the part of my life totally without direction) and a classmate and I decided to bag it for that Friday and get a start on the weekend. We were driving around aimlessly and came to a shopping center which was one of the first of the type which had individual stores on "streets" rather than one building. The streets were named after US Presidents. The radio was on I had turned the volume way down in order to converse with my friend. I came to a stop sign at one of the streets and looked up at the sign, which was James Garfield Way. I thought idly, "He was one of the presidents who was assassinated." We continued driving and the conversation waned so I turned up the volume on the radio. The announcer was saying that shots had been fired at the JFK's car and he was definitely hit. It also said that Governor Connelly had been hit. I had no idea who Governor Connelly was and we waited to hear more news. Shortly thereafter, the news announced, "The President is dead!" We were stunned.

I irony of all of this is that I believe that I was looking at that street sign probably within 5 minutes, either way, of when the shots were being fired in Dallas. It still creeps me out.

 

[Mismost]

I was starting my first acting gig in the third grade as big green frog that said RIB IT RIB IT. They stopped the play, we went back to our class, teachers were crying, school was closed and we went home. Dad came home from work and was really upset. TV was on all day and they just kept saying the same things over and over. Dad wanted to go to Dallas and help hunt for the bad guy. But, he had to stay with us and explain Presidents, assassination, basic government to us kids. I recall it being the day I realized there was a world outside of my little world and what happened out there could and did effect me.

This was also back in the Cold War. Many thought the Russians did it and the atomic bomb was coming next. Real strange days.

I have often wondered who shot JFK. Pretty sure it was not Lee Harvey Oswald ALONE. Now, I guess we will never know.

 

[wineforfun]

I was in mommy's tummy.
DOB 5-12-64

 

[Johny99]

I came home from grammar school to a crying mother. Shortly after Johnson came through Denver and we went to watch the motorcade. Adults talked that it was the end of open convertibles. We saw the limo, but couldn't see in the windows. Innocence lost some say.

 

[jswordy]

What I most remember from 5 years old was watching the funeral. I remember my parents trying to make some sense out of it. I also recall how all Americans seemed stunned and saddened by the news, regardless of their political stripe. The entire nation was in shock. The country has changed completely since then. And of course, that was followed by Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King, and then Kent State, all of which touched my young life growing up. There are seminal times when, looking back at history, you can see the tides change in the United States. That was one of them.

 

[mikewatkins727]

Air Force basic training, on parade ground practicing our marching, Lackland AFB, San Antonio, TX. I will never forget what went through my mind when our drill sergeant told us of the assasination: MY GOD, THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE ME A RIFLE AND I'LL HAVE TO SHOOT SOMEONE.

 

[ceeaton]

I just read this thread and looked down to see a bag with a few old papers in them that my Dad kept for us kids. I was thinking there might have been one from the assassination, but I had just turned one year old, so I don't remember anything about Kennedy, ML King or Kent State. Maybe that is good in a way. BTW the papers were for Walking on the Moon (July 21st, 1969) getting home safely (July 25th) and Nixon's resignation (August 9th, 1974). All of 10 cents each from the oldest daily newspaper in the U.S, The Philadelphia Inquirer (founded 1771). Oooh, John Wanamaker's has a sale!

 

[dcbrown73]

I grew up in the Dallas area and obviously am well aware of almost everything about this event, but I'm a '73 baby. The seeing the date never reminded me of the event itself though. The one thing it does remind me of now which reminds me of the event is the Stephen King book of the same name. (great book btw if you haven't read it)

 

[Hokapsig]

the day before I turned 2

 

[sour_grapes]

I was 6 weeks old. I know where I was, but don't really remember it... My best friend was born that day, which must have been a conflicted day for his mother.