On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was fatally shot while riding in an open motorcade through Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas. Kennedy, serving as the 35th President of the United States, was pronounced dead less than an hour later at Parkland Memorial Hospital. Texas Governor John Connally, riding in the same vehicle, was severely wounded but survived.
The assassination plunged the nation into profound grief and disbelief, altering the course of American history and politics. Shortly thereafter, Lee Harvey Oswald was apprehended and charged with Kennedy’s murder, though Oswald himself was murdered two days later by nightclub owner Jack Ruby, sparking widespread speculation and conspiracy theories about potential larger plots involving multiple parties, foreign entities, or internal government actors.
The Warren Commission, established by President Lyndon B. Johnson, concluded that Oswald acted alone. Despite its findings, the assassination remains one of the most debated and scrutinized events in modern American history. Its long-term effects reshaped national security policies, deepened public mistrust of government, and profoundly impacted American culture and identity.
- Executive Summary
- Historical Background
- Political and Social Context
- Profile of Lee Harvey Oswald
- Timeline
- The Assassination
- Immediate Aftermath
- Investigation, Arrest, and Death of Oswald
- Findings of the Warren Commission
- Long-Term Impact on the Nation
- Controversies and Conspiracy Theories
- Primary Source Appendix