1963
Camelot Finale
Defining Moment for America
On November 22, 1963 , John F. Kennedy remarked, "If anybody really wanted to shoot the President of the United States . all one had to do was get into a high building with a telescopic rifle .." A few minutes later, Kennedy departed for Dallas , Texas . To this day, Americans still remember where they were when they first heard the news that Kennedy had been shot.
Nation-wide Grief, World-wide Mourning The world was glued to television screens for the funeral and burial of this charismatic president. A million people crowded the streets of Washington . Particular sights and sounds touched hearts world-wide: the flag-draped coffin; the riderless horse with a pair of boots reversed in the stirrups; the muffled drumbeats; Jackie's stoic resolve; John-John's salute to his father; the roar of 50 jet fighters over Arlington cemetery; the lighting of the eternal flame. In December 1963, Lyndon Baines Johnson addressed Congress: "All I have, I would have given gladly not to be standing here today . Now the ideas and ideals which he so nobly represented must and will be translated into effective action . The need is here. The need is now. I ask your help." |
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