Today in History—November 22: Part I of II: Kennedy’s Last Day in Dallas

On this day in 1963, an event that began like any other presidential appearance was instantly transformed into an immensely consequential moment in American history.

Riding in an open-top limousine, U.S. Pres. John F. Kennedy, accompanied by first lady Jacqueline Kennedy, Texas Gov. John Connally, and Connally’s wife, Nellie, cruised through downtown Dallas. They waved and smiled to the crowds along the street.

The young president’s appearance that day displayed the excitement of his anticipated reelection campaign, expected to be officially announced early the next year.

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But at about 12:30 pm, as the presidential motorcade made its way through Dealey Plaza, gunshots rang out. Kennedy was struck by two bullets, one in his neck and one in his head, which fatally wounded him. Connally took a bullet in his back, which traveled through his body and caused serious wounds.

The limousine raced straight to Parkland Memorial Hospital—with Secret Service agent Clint Hill clinging to the back to shield the president from further bullets and to keep Jacqueline from falling out of the vehicle as the driver hit 80 mph.

They reached the hospital at 12:36 pm.

By 1:00 pm, Kennedy was declared dead. The public was stunned. Regular programming on radio and television was interrupted by the news.

Shortly after 2:30 pm, Vice Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson, while aboard Air Force One, was sworn in; Jacqueline Kennedy was standing next to him. A photograph capturing that moment became an enduring memory of both national tragedy and the transfer of power.

After the shooting, police arrested Lee Harvey Oswald and took him to the Dallas police headquarters and city jail. There, Oswald, a former U.S. Marine, was charged with murder.

In 1964 the Warren Commission (President’s Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy) found that Oswald had acted alone, a conclusion that remains one of the most debated topics in American history. Many considered the assassination to have been the result of a conspiracy.

Kennedy’s death impacted U.S. efforts associated with the Cold War and the space race, as well as progress toward civil rights. The event is considered a critical turning point in American history.