A Nation Mourns: The Day JFK Was Assassinated, 1963

What do we remember about the day when JFK was assassinated in 1963?

Millions of us were alive then and still are. Of course, we remember. One such memory belongs to a young student who was in 6th grade when the shocking news broke. This article delves into the vivid and unforgettable experiences of those who witnessed the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, a moment that forever changed the course of American history.

Viivid Memories of a Young Mind

I was in 6th grade, and everyone in my class started crying when students came out of the education building screaming that the president was shot. I went into the building, and everyone was watching the scene on a TV. We were all in shock, a feeling that many of us never forgot. In the days that followed, there were numerous events that didn't make sense, and still don't make sense. There are a couple of hundred documents that have not been released. Why not?

A Freshman's Perspective

I was a freshman on campus walking back to the girl's dorm from a tennis lesson. Another student ran by telling me: the president has just been shot. When I reached the dorm, everyone was in the front lounge staring at the TV devastated—a sense of helpless emergency changing us forever. Not long after, I left the leafy walkways and ivy-covered buildings I loved as well as the full board math scholarship I did not want. In fact, I wanted to paint, but my parents were horrified. I told the dean that his education wasn't relevant to my existence. It took 8 years to come to my senses, return to college, and become an engineer, a world where beloved presidents and civil rights leaders could be killed.

High School Reflections

Can anyone ever forget? On that day, I was attending my early Friday afternoon History Class with Mr. Weiler, the teacher, as a freshman high school student, age 14. In the middle of the class, Mr. Newcombe, the head Math teacher, walked in and whispered in Weiler's ear. His face drained of color, and he just sat there speechless. Then he finally spoke, telling us that JFK had been assassinated. He did his best with the class that day, trying to counsel us.

Yes, I remember that day without any difficulty. I remember how shocked the teachers were and later my parents. I also remember images of the TV coverage of the event later that evening and through that awful weekend. That day marked a turning point in my life and a nation's memories. It left an indelible mark on the collective psyche of America, a moment that still resonates in the hearts and minds of those who lived through it.

Keywords and Tags

Keywords: JFK assassination, Camelot, presidential assassination, American history, Cold War, national mourning, Oswald, Lee Harvey, Warren Commission, 1963, tragic event

Tags: JFK, Camelot, presidential assassinations, 1963, Cold War, memories, history, American culture