Graphic Images Documenting the Kennedy Assassination and Postmortem Examination, Portraying the Entirety of the Tragic Event
In the heart of Dealey Plaza, on a fateful November day in 1963, John F. Kennedy's open-top limousine turned, marking the beginning of an event that would forever change the course of American history.
As the news of Kennedy's assassination spread, Americans gathered around radios and TV sets, sobbed on the streets, and stared at newspaper headlines. The Kennedy assassination was a moment of national trauma, filled with little moments, people, places, and things that illustrate its gravitas in ways that a straightforward document cannot.
Following the shooting, Kennedy's body was taken to Love Field, where Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson took the oath of office. Moments later, the president's body was moved to the White House, and eventually to the Capitol on the day of his funeral.
The official autopsy revealed a chilling truth: President Kennedy had been shot twice, once in the head and once in the back. These tragic details were captured in the graphic 26.6-second 8mm film by amateur photographer Abraham Zapruder, who was a direct and primary witness to the event.
In one of the most indelible JFK assassination photos, Jackie Kennedy stands frozen at Lyndon B. Johnson's side while he was sworn in. Poignantly, her young son John saluted his father's casket as it passed.
Beyond the well-known details, there are lesser-known aspects of the JFK assassination. For instance, Secret Service agent Clint Hill, assigned to Jackie Kennedy's security detail, reacted immediately by mounting the back of the presidential limousine after the first shot was fired. He was only inches away when Kennedy was fatally shot in the head, and he forcibly kept Jackie Kennedy seated, holding her dying husband.
Another lesser-known detail emerged decades later when a man named Landis, who took a bullet during the assassination, revealed in his memoir that he had forgotten to mention this fact until 2023.
The released secret Kennedy assassination files contain many such rare photos and documents, providing detailed visual and forensic insights into the event and its aftermath. However, actual photos of the autopsy are extremely rare and largely restricted from the public to protect the dignity of the late president and his family.
Jimmy Breslin, a legendary New York journalist, spoke with Clifton Pollard, the man tasked with digging Kennedy's grave, and delivered an affecting account of the event. A photo taken by Mary Ann Moorman one-sixth of a second after Kennedy was fatally shot is in the public domain.
In summary, the JFK assassination was a moment of national trauma, filled with little moments, people, places, and things that illustrate its gravitas. From the insider actions of Clint Hill and Landis, to eyewitness accounts like Zapruder’s film, and poignant visual records of the assassination and funeral, these unseen moments provide a deeper understanding of the event and its impact.
- The JFK assassination prompts a surge of general news consumption, as Americans seek to grasp the impact of the historical event through various mediums, such as radios, TV sets, and newspapers.
- Beyond the recognized details of the JFK assassination, lesser-known incidents and characters, like Secret Service agent Clint Hill and witness Landis, offer valuable insights into the tragic event and its aftermath.
- Crime-and-justice documentation, like secret Kennedy assassination files, provide rare visual and forensic evidence of the event and its aftermath, while powerful images such as Mary Ann Moorman's photograph offer a poignant snapshot in time, capturing the nation's grief and the gravity of the incident.
