If you are old enough......

[gopiscrap]

Last edited Tue Nov 22, 2022, 02:09 PM - Edit history (1)

where were you when you learned the news of JFK's assassination?

I was in Germany (6 years old) and already in bed. All of a sudden I heard real loud voice out in the common area of our 17th floor apartment in Frankfurt Germany All four units on each floor share a common tv in the large lobby of each floor. Pretty soon all the parents were out there and the kids in bed came out to see what the commotion was about. I remember staying up way late watching with every one., On that Monday, stayed up late again to watch the funeral with my parents til I fell asleep in the lobby. I had just seen him in June of that year as he came through Frankfurt

[gab13by13]

1. In high school in class.

We all prayed for him.

[TreasonousBastard]

6. Same here. It was a small school, so the principal came through...

and made an announcement to each class.

It was not a good day.

[mopinko]

2. i was in 3rd grade.

it was report card day, so us kids were home. it was about 3 pm when my folks came home.
mom was crying, and da was close. they had announced it on the school pa.
he made a campaign swing through my small town, and drove right by our house.
mom kept saying- i shook his hand.

proud irish who were proud of the irish prez.

[Tetrachloride]

8. he came through my town once before i was born

the last Democratic presidential candidate to do so.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

3. San Jose, California....6th grade, 11 years old.

[rurallib]

4. 14 in algebra class just returning from lunch

there was the announcement of the shooting. We all sat quietly very stunned. Then about ten minutes later the announcement that Kennedy had died.

Then about another ten minutes and the announcement that school was done for the day. All after school practices were cancelled. And we all silently went home.

[Runningdawg]

5. I was four, at home with my grandparents. Radios were on.

At the time I didn't understand why grandma broke the bowl she was drying or why grandpa came in from the barn a few minutes later crying. Mom and dad closed up their store and came home in the middle of the day. My uncle had a heart attack the day before and died that afternoon too. We went to the neighbors to watch Walter Cronkite on their TV that night.

[Hortensis]

23. What a day. No wonder you remember it even though only four.

Very evocative of those times also, and how they've changed. Today if we didn't have TV in our home we'd watch our choice among thousands of different reports on our smartphones. And, of course, your uncle would probably survive.

[elleng]

7. College sophomore, in poli sci class.

[Darwins_Retriever]

9. 3rd grade class

Chin Elementary. Principal came on the intercom and announced that President Kennedy had died. A girl in the class yels, "Yeah, no more president's physical fitness test."

[Timewas]

10. Driving

In Richmond Cal.

[Tracer]

11. In Canada, at the border crossing store.

I was with my sister and new brother-in-law on our way back to Syracuse where they were living.

We were in the store laughing and joking around and went to the checkout with our purchases.

The woman at the counter said: "It's a sad day for your country."

We had no idea what she was talking about, until she explained what had happened.

There was no more laughing or joking.

[Croney]

12. I was parked in front of Diebert, Bancroft & Ross in New Orleans,

waiting to pick up my husband from work, when the news came on the radio. We had just sent the Kennedys a wedding invitation five months earlier (as was the custom back then) and gotten a nice card in reply (which I still have). It was surreal.

[Wicked Blue]

13. Seventh grade, changing in the girls' locker room after gym class

It was the last class of the day. We were fixing our hair and makeup, when the announcement came over the PA system.
I think the announcement was that he had been shot, not that he was dead.

Almost everyone started crying. A couple of girls were praying for him. I was absolutely stunned silent. It just didn't seem possible.

[MiHale]

14. In class at grade school, 11 years from birth...

In May of that year we moved into our new home in the suburbs. Birthdays were kinda special that year because, first in the new house, ya know kids. All the birthdays went off great, June, July, September, October, my Dad was the last of the year, November, the day the 22nd. He’d be 105 today. Birthdays changed that day.

Then 2 days later…I was witness to a live murder on national tv.

[GP6971]

15. 6th grade

and at home sick.

[Doc Sportello]

16. Third grade

Evan at that age it was shocking. Never recovered in some ways, me or the country.

[Biophilic]

17. 11th grade. Our Political Science teacher was walking up and down the hall.

He was really upset, saying “they killed my president “.

[Hortensis]

18. In class in elementary school at Lake Tahoe. The principal

announced it and sent the small student body outside, where he and the teachers made themselves available for consoling. Lots of tall pines, lots of picnic lunch tables under them, lots of crying.

[KarenS]

19. In 9th grade PE class running laps,,,, San Rafael CA

I was 14. We heard an announcement on the loudspeaker but could not make out what they were saying,,, we came into the locker room to hear that he had passed away,,,, we were sent home on our normal buses,,,, sigh,,,, seems like so long ago now.

[ironflange]

20. Five years old, doing my stint on Romper Room

[Ocelot II]

21. Home sick from school, watching tv.

[3catwoman3]

22. 7th grade, last period of the day - art class.

I remember the teacher's face turning purple at the second announcement.

[Backseat Driver]

48. How about that! - Same - 7th grade Art Class; last period of the day/week.

Turning up our art table stools so maintenance could clean the floors. The announcement on the PA ended just as the school day did that JFK had already died, the target of an unknown assassin's gunshot(s). There was much crying on the bus ride home followed by days of non-stop television. I had just begun learning about presidential politics as JFK's "people" had been passing out Kennedy pencils on the sidewalk outside of the elementary school I had gone to. I won't ever forget his inauguration address, the emotions of that day, nor the rhythmic drums of the caissons. I've cried many more times with our nation since that sad day. DH was stationed at the Pentagon and witnessed the Poor People's Campaign in the fires and tents of Resurrection City that lasted six months that ended sadly in police violence. Married 52 years yesterday, we had a short honeymoon there. I've visited the site of JFK's burial flame at Arlington National Cemetery as well as the Viet Nam Memorial Wall and attended that Viet Nam conflict's Unknown (now known) Soldier's interment with friends; I've celebrated Independence Day on the Mall with my young children and never spent enough time at the Smithsonian. I tried to attend the January protest after USA invaded Iraq but was late for the march and speakers (travel temp -13 degrees). My daughter went with us; she thought we'd get arrested. Likely will never go back to DC unless justice for 1/6 I watched Live while crying yet again takes place - Silly me, still the idealist dreaming of one day perhaps happy and thankful to see the cherry blossoms.

[3catwoman3]

51. We lived in the DC area for 8 years, during my husband's...

...final Air Force assignment. He flew small jets for the 89th Military Airlift Wing, which is best known for Air Force 1.

We lived in Upper Marlboro, MD because he had to be near enough to the base to get there in 20 minutes in case someone needed to go somewhere right now. As I'm sure you know, traffic around the DC beltway is horrible, so needing to be only 20 minutes away ruled out most of the MD-DC-VA area.

Do go see the cherry blossoms. They are truly spectacular. One of the prettiest sights on the planet, IMO.

Congratulations on your long marriage. You must have married young. We will mark 41 years in January. We met in Japan. I was in the Air Force, too, as a nurse practitioner. We were next door neighbors in the Bachelor Officers' Quarters.

[ggma]

24. I was in the fifth grade.

We used to go home for lunch back then. We had just gotten seated when the teacher came in the room, crying so hard she could barely speak. She told us that a tragedy had just occurred, but it was something our parents needed to talk to us about. We lived close to school so I got home just as the adults were gathering around the tv. We all watched the news together. I didn't really understand what was going on.

gg

[Srkdqltr]

25. Working at JLHudson in Michigan.

The store was empty by 2ish closed at 5 and we closed until Monday.

[rsdsharp]

26. I was in fourth grade. I'd walked home for lunch, eaten, and walked the 7 blocks back to school.

We didn’t have the TV on during lunch, and would only turn the radio on if we heard sirens, so I still didn’t know about it when I returned to school.

I was standing in front of the school, watching a kickball game, when David Grundimeir came up and told me. The news rapidly spread across the playground. Later, after we returned to our classroom, the Principal, Mr. Cole came in and told us the President was dead. I assume he had been monitoring the TV the sixth graders used to watch the required Iowa history class. School was dismissed about an hour later.

[nolabear]

27. Not quite nine, home from school with my pregnant mother.

We lived in Illinois at the time but my family were lifelong southerners. In spite of that my mother was deeply infatuated with the Kennedys and Camelot. We spent that Thanksgiving in a state of devastation not shared by my father. Since my mother died just four years later it’s a strong and important memory I have of her. I like to think that, unlike the rest of the family, she’d have ended up a liberal like I did.

[Maeve]

28. Third grade, school ended early

I was in kindergarten when he was elected we had a mock election and I was first in his line, so I got to count the votes. He won.
Pretty sure my folks backed Nixon that year, but what did I know about politics? Kennedy looked nicer. Maybe I did know something..

[GentryDixon]

29. I was in 9th grade English class. 💔

[ananda]

30. High school classroom

It came on the loud speaker.

But we didn't know how deadly it was
till later.

[Just A Box Of Rain]

31. I was in Kindergarten.

I have no memory of "the moment" when I learned the news.

But I do remember the overwhelming sense of grief in my family and community at large. Everyone was crying.

And have strong memories of watching the funeral on television. The image of the horse-drawn caisson and Jakie and the children burned in my mind.

But--somehow--I have no memory of the moment I first heard the president had been murdered.

[chicoescuela]

35. Same here - exactly the way I remember the events as a 5 year old in Kindergarten

[Just A Box Of Rain]

37. I imagine that school authorities felt we were too young to receive such announcements?

I've always felt it was strange that I have so many memories and impressions of this tragic time, but have no specific recollection of the moment I got the news.

My parents were absolutely grief stricken.

My dad ended up making a film as a tribute to JFK. It was shown at the Democratic Convention in 1964. The official title was "A Thousand Days," but it was more widely known as "the Camelot film":

[debm55]

53. Thank you Just a Box, watching it brought tears to my eyes. I was in 3rd grade and I remember crying

as I am crying now. Your dad did a excellent job. I have seen this before, but today it brings me chills.

[Just A Box Of Rain]

54. We can all wish that such tributes were unnecessary.

Peace to you.

[Paladin]

32. 8th grade, lunch hall, Austin TX.

Last edited Tue Nov 22, 2022, 03:38 PM - Edit history (1)

A classmate eating a popsicle came up to me and told me that both JFK and Governor Connally had been shot in Dallas. Took me a while to get over my shock and start moving again---I had school friends whose parents were invitees to a speech JFK was scheduled to give in Austin, that evening. Their invitations became family heirlooms.

[yorkster]

33. In music class senior year.

The teacher told us that the President had been shot - she had first said something like, "I can't believe this", so we were all listening intently when she told us. Drifted out into the halls, lots of crying. 4 of us started walking to a friend's house. On the way, a town road road crew guy down in a trench or culvert, shouted at us, "Did he make it?". We told him the sad truth. Will never forget that. Felt badly that he was out on the job alone.

[usonian]

34. 9th grade, in Massachusetts

Hit the state like a nuke. He was our favorite son.

[bahboo]

36. sitting in front of my 5th grade class, since I had been busted for talking...

will never forget the principal coming in and announcing the president has been shot. We were all sent home. We watched the tv for 3 days straight...one of the few times I remember seeing my dad cry. He was from Boston, and we had a picture of JFK on our living room wall...

[sinkingfeeling]

38. HS algebra class.

[Marthe48]

39. I was just coming home from grade school

My great aunt had the tv on in the living room, and entirely shocked, told my brother and me that 'the president has been shot.'

[Mousetoescamper]

40. Walking home from William Paca Elementary in Palmer Park, MD.

I was in second grade and the assassination wasn't announced to the lower grades. On the way home some older kids told us that the President had been shot in Texas. My image of Texas back then was that of the Wild West and I imagined he'd been shot by outlaws.

When I arrived home, my father was stringing Christmas lights on the house. I don't recall what he said to me, but when I got in the house my mother was in front of the TV and weeping.

The TV coverage of the flag-draped casket lying in state at the Capitol seemed to go on for days. I think I was probably annoyed at there being no cartoons or other kids' shows on during that time.

I didn't see Jack Ruby's shooting Oswald on TV, but heard about it on the car radio while we were traveling to my grandmother's house in Marlow Heights. My parents explained what had happened and I was frightened and confused by all of the violence.

My memory of the day of the funeral is of the flag-draped casket on the caisson, the horses, and especially of John-John and Caroline. She was a year younger than me. The Vaughn Meader comedy album "The First Family" was played often at our house, so the Kennedys were familiar to me in that way. I don't recall hearing its being played again in our home after the assassination.

Although it probably wouldn't have been described as a traumatic event for children back then, I was traumatized. After that horrible time nothing was quite the same.

[yonder]

41. Outside at 5th grade lunch recess on a cold but bright, sunny day in Denver.

A buzz started somewhere and increased till everyone knew. With many people crying, we were escorted back to class, TV's were rolled in and teachers started talking with us as the news developed that the President had, in fact, been assassinated after which we were dismissed early and sent home.

The next several days of TV coverage were devoted exclusively to the President, the succession process and the subsequent murder of Oswald, which was broadcast live as he was being moved in Dallas.

Some things are just not forgotten.

[DET]

42. In Hyannis

In elementary school, which was two blocks from home, which was a couple of miles from the Kennedy Compound. We were just told to go home, where we learned the news. I don’t remember much after that.

[Still Sensible]

43. I was in Miss Jacob's 3rd grade class at Mark Twain Elementary

in Bettendorf, Iowa. We had just returned to class after walking home (and back--about 5 blocks) for lunch.

[TigressDem]

44. I was 3 months old.... didn't get informed.

[H2O Man]

45. In school.

[IcyPeas]

46. 2nd grade in catholic school in New York. they sent us home early.

[Spazito]

47. I was 10 years old, at home in Canada, sick with either the flu or chicken pox...

and was in bed listening to the radio when the news broke. I had no idea who President Kennedy was but the announcer's voice was so full of emotion that I cried with him. The memory is still crystal clear even after all these years.

[Hekate]

49. Kailua High School, Oahu, in the halls between Homeroom and Chemistry. I heard a boy say it...

What I thought in the moment was that it was a tasteless joke. Some of the kids had transistor radios, but our school was typical for the time and place in that there were no intercoms and no TVs. The office had to have sent out runners, because our Chem teacher announced it.

Later in the day there was a school assembly in the courtyard around the flagpole. The Band’s best trumpeter played Taps. We were all absolutely stunned. If any of the many military dependents were from the South and thought this was okay (remember those transistor radios: we already knew about outbreaks of cheers) they kept their mouths well shut.

I don’t recall being let out early — as an adult I can see the logistical problems in getting almost 2,000 students home in that the only buses were school busses. For me it would have meant a 3 mile walk home, and for others it was much further. Also, seriously, what would the kitchen have done with all those hot lunches just before a holiday weekend? (Yes, we got a full hot lunch cooked by real people in a kitchen on the premises. 25c. All students took a day off classes in rotation to help for a day.) Funny the things I never thought of before.

I was glued to the TV at home over the next days. I was young — I thought this was unique in our history & would never happen again. By the end of 1968, I knew better.

RIP Jack & Jackie, Bobby, Teddy — thank you all for your service to the country.

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

[debm55]

50. I was in 3 rd. It was right after recess. The whole school went over to the church to pray.

Last edited Tue Nov 22, 2022, 05:47 PM - Edit history (1)

I remember it was like everything shut down.I also remember the horse(Black Jack?) with the boots turned backward. And that cadence of the drums. Typing this I have chills up my spine.

[Elessar Zappa]

52. Still 20 years away from being born.

I can’t imagine the shock and pain people must’ve felt.

[BluesRunTheGame]

55. I was 5 years old.

Maybe I remember cartoons being preempted for the funeral. I could be mixing it up with RFK and MLK in ‘68. I’d been 9 or 10.

[onethatcares]

56. St Margarets Parochial School

I think it was 4th grade.

I had a strange way of dealing with stress and I smiled when it was announced. Sister Mary Beat Ya With Jesus smacked me hard.

Then we got 5 days off of school. My folks were pissed because there was no daycare at that time and there were 5 kids that had to be watched,

My mom bore the brunt of that.

[TomSlick]

57. I was in the first grade.

The principal came in - whispered to the teacher - who gave us the news. Even as six year-old kids, we were all shocked.

[Xoan]

58. 11th Grade, Chemistry class

[Stuart G]

59. Yes, I was in high school...And the well known class liar...came up to a group and

said JFK was shot. I guess we believed him. That is one he couldn't make up!

[MarineCombatEngineer]

60. In High School PE period,

we were told to hit the showers and report to the school auditorium.