Dedicated to those who have risked their lives to make to world a better place.
Foreword The assassination of John F. Kennedy was a turning point in American history. Lee Harvey Oswald shot the president twice on November 22nd 1963. Oswald was a former Marine who defected to the Soviet Union in 1959, and later moved back to the United States, albeit under heavy FBI monitoring. Regardless, he purchased a gun, and shot JFK from the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository. Whether you liked him or not, It’s hard not to argue that JFK was a very influential president. He was involved in the defusing of the cuban missile crisis, he was very involved in the arts, with the John F. Kennedy center for the performing arts named after him, and also served his country in the Second World War.
Introduction
I used the packet provided to map out my options for choosing a topic. The topics I came up with were interviewing one of my uncles about the challenger explosion, which he was watching live in science class, my mother about the fall of the Berlin wall, and my Grandfather about John
F Kennedy’s funeral. Initially, the idea that appealed to me most was the challenger explosion, but I decided to first call my Grandfather about his experience. After the phone call, his story seemed like the obvious choice, because it was so firsthand.
My Notes Notable world leaders: Charles de Gaulle, President of France Heinrich Lübke, President of West Germany Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Anastas Mikoyan, First Deputy Chairman, USSR U Thant, Secretary-General, UN Weather: 45 Fahrenheit, Overcast. Order of Procession: First Interview Notes: Who was there?: Brother Dean, Cousin Dwight, Friend Larry Who could you see?: Haile Selassie Ethiopia, german chancellor, Prince philip, cdg, Back guard, world leaders, Kennedys. Where were you when you heard the news?: Work, men's clothing store-went to owners house & got radio listened to the radio What were you feeling during the ride down to DC?: Sorry president go shot. Weren’t Kennedy supporters. Support country. Express sorrow. Could see important people. Was there anything about the funeral that stood out you?: Got there 10pm the night before
Narrative
Here I was. On the curb. Washington DC, November 25, 1963. President John F. Kennedy’s Funeral. I was here with Dean, Dwight, and Larry, my brother, cousin, and friend respectively. We had journeyed down from Nyack College in New York to attend the funeral of our beloved president. Well, maybe not so beloved in our case, as we weren’t Kennedy supporters, but that wasn’t the point. We had journeyed down to show support for our country, and mourn the passing of a president. It had been only three days since the assassination, and the memory was still fresh in my mind. My coworker rushing in during our lunch break and yelling something about the president. My replying, “relax and slow down a little bit, man, tell me what’s happening!”. The absolute chaos as we rushed to the nearest radio for more information. The dour host announcing the sickening news “At this time, we have reason to believe the president, John F. Kennedy, has been shot during a rally in Dallas, Texas.” And the phone call from my brother. It had been a turbulent few days. Our University declared Monday a day off for mourning, and since none of us were working that evening, we decided to hop in the car and attend the funeral. We drove all night, and arrived in the early hours of the morning. We had to park in the outskirts of Washington D.C, and we walked 5 miles to the procession route. We got there so early we were able to find a spot mere blocks away from the cathedral, and we marked our territory on the curb. We didn’t realize at the time what a historically significant event this would be, we just wanted to show support for our country during this unbelievable episode. But there wasn’t much time for reflection, because I could hear the clip-clop of hooves. The funeral procession was drawing nearer. We had a front row seat. We could smell the horses go by as they pulled the coffin towards the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle. I remember seeing the family as they went by, and I remember feeling sympathy for them in their hour of grief. There are tragic moments in history that generation reflect on, like the death of Kennedy, the explosion of Challenger, and 9/11. What started out as a crazy idea among a few college buddies, became participation in part of one of the defining moments of the century.
Gallery
About the Author Michael Bartholomew is a 7th Grader who can’t seem to get his work done sometimes, but enjoys it when he does it. Sometimes.
Handout Scans
Other Photographs
Works Cited Cosgrove, Ben. “JFK's Funeral: Photos From a Day of Shock and Grief.” Time Magazine, Time Magazine, 4 Nov. 2014, time.com/3592906/jfks-funeral-photos-from-a-day-of-shock-and-grief/. Knudsen, Robert L. “Eunice Kennedy Shriver with Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at Reception Following Funeral of President John F. Kennedy.” John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, www.jfklibrary.org/Asset-Viewer/Archives/JFKWHP-KN-C30681.aspx. Maher, Heather. “Why Lee Harvey Oswald Defected to The Soviet Union.” The Atlantic, 20 Nov. 2013,
www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/11/why-lee-harvey-oswald-fled-to-the-s oviet-union/281662/. A Nation Remembers. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, www.jfklibrary.org/Exhibits/Past-Exhibits/A-Nation-Remembers.aspx. “November 22, 1963: Death of the President.” John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/JFK-in-History/November-22-1963-Death-of-the-President.aspx . O'Reilly, Bill. Kennedy's Last Days: the Assassination That Defined a Generation. New York, NY, Henry Holt and Company, 2013. Smith, Stephen. “A Nation Says Goodbye to President Kennedy.” CBSNews, CBS Interactive, 22 Nov. 2013, www.cbsnews.com/news/jfk-assassination-a-nation-says-goodbye-to-the-president/. “Weather History for KDCA - November, 1963.” Weather Underground, www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KDCA/1963/11/22/DailyHistory.html?req_city =Washington&req_state=DC&req_statename=District%2Bof%2BColumbia&reqdb.zip= 20001&reqdb.magic=1&reqdb.wmo=99999. Knudsen, Robert L. “Eunice Kennedy Shriver with Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at Reception Following Funeral of President John F. Kennedy.” John F. Kennedy Presidential Library &Amp; Museum, 4 Nov. 2014, www.jfklibrary.org/Asset-Viewer/Archives/JFKWHP-KN-C30681.aspx.
Loengard, John. “John F. Kennedy's Cortege Leaves the White House, November 1963.” Time Magazine, 4 Nov. 2014, time.com/3592906/jfks-funeral-photos-from-a-day-of-shock-and-grief/. Wayman, Stan. “As Taps Sounded, [French] President De Gaulle and [Ethiopian] Emperor Haile Selassie Saluted the Grave.” Time Magazine, 4 Nov. 2014, time.com/3592906/jfks-funeral-photos-from-a-day-of-shock-and-grief/. Wayman, Stan. “Horse-Drawn Caisson Bearing the Body of Pres. John F. Kennedy across the Memorial Bridge into Arlington Cemetery.” Time Magazine, 4 Nov. 2014, time.com/3592906/jfks-funeral-photos-from-a-day-of-shock-and-grief/. Wayman, Stan. “John F. Kennedy's Flag-Draped Casket Lies in State in Washington, D.C., November 1963.” Time Magazine, 4 Nov. 2014, time.com/3592906/jfks-funeral-photos-from-a-day-of-shock-and-grief/.