Friday, November 22, 2013

A somber anniversary....

Do you remember where you were 50 years ago on this date?  Do you remember hearing the news about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy? 

I was living in a small town in my first apartment since graduating from college.  It was easy to walk everywhere, and that was a good thing as I didn't have a car at that point.  I had taken time for lunch and had walked downtown to a department store.  That is where I was when a good friend came into the store and shared the news that the president had been shot while riding in the motorcade in Dallas,Texas.  I quickly joined her in her car, and not long after, we heard the news that he had passed away.  We were stunned, and for a period seemed to be in a state of disbelief!

The next few days were spent just as many of you may have spent those days - watching the coverage on television.  I mentioned that I didn't have a car.  Well, I didn't even have a TV at that time!  So, I joined my landlady as she watched all the news reports.

There have been special programs announced that will be aired honoring this anniversary.  I expect to watch some of them.  It is a time for remembering.  This had been my first opportunity to vote, and this was the candidate who had received my vote.

It was a very sad time for America.

I send wishes for a good Friday to all of you.  I hope you have some good plans for the week-end.

Thank you for reading.  I really appreciate your comments.  


21 comments:

  1. I remember that day like it was yesterday. I was working at the telephone company. These were the old fashioned days of the switchboard. As the World Turns was on TV. That is how I can remember the time that it happened. Every light on the switchboard lit up. I think that there were 5 of us working at the time. We could only answer a tiny amount of the calls. The ones we did answer there was always someone crying. The president's children were the some age as my kids. To this day my son who was 3 years old at the time clearly remembers the events of the day.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I was waiting for the school bus to take me to afternoon kindergarten. My Mom was hanging the clothes out on the clothesline and my cartoons were preempted. I ran and told her and I didn't understand much then. Do you also realize that it is the same day that C.S. Lewis died as well as Aldous Huxley? I always think there was something significant to that day. The world was so focused on the assassination they missed C.S. Lewis's death. I remember my Mom just weeping.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I remember the days well. I was ironing in my lvingroom when the first announcement came through That was the beginning of being glued to the TV set for at least a week. Such a Sad time in our history, and I still wonder what the country would be like had he had a chance to finish his term!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh, yes, I remember that I was baby-sitting for the Mitchells and was ironing some of Shelby's uniforms while watching some soap opera---possibly Days of Our Lives? Anyway, there was nothing else on TV for several days. Even though I didn't vote for him, I still wonder how the nation would have been improved if he had been allowed to serve his term. Oh, another note about corresponding days of death....our mother passed away on the same day as Corrie ten Boom, and I can just imagine the conversations they must have had!! Have a safe and pleasant day, Sister!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I remember that day well. I was managing a small corner grocery store when I heard the news. I actually was stocking the shelves. I felt shocked and in disbelief that Kennedy had been shot. I felt sad and subdued for the rest of the day.

    Take care and have a great weekend.
    Hugs,
    JB

    ReplyDelete
  6. It was a sad day, indeed, Nellie.
    I had not been born then, so thank you for sharing your memories.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I was just over a year old, so I do not remember the actual day of when he was shot, but my family told us many stories, over and over as we grew up about the day that stood still. The sadness never left their eyes and you could feel the pain they still carried with them.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh- I so remember being in class and hearing the news. The school busses picked us up and I had an hour drive. One kid had a transistor radio that cut in and out as the bus wove its way thru the mountains. I remember my Dad had tears in his eyes and I had never seen him cry before....men didn't do that back then. In a way, it was an end to the innocence this country had known, I think. xo Diana

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh- I so remember being in class and hearing the news. The school busses picked us up and I had an hour drive. One kid had a transistor radio that cut in and out as the bus wove its way thru the mountains. I remember my Dad had tears in his eyes and I had never seen him cry before....men didn't do that back then. In a way, it was an end to the innocence this country had known, I think. xo Diana

    ReplyDelete
  10. Nellie, It was a very sad time for all of America. I never dreamed any president would be killed in my life time. So shocking...and it has changed our world. xoxo,Susie

    ReplyDelete
  11. Since I was in Canada we were glued to our B&W TV set and I remember my Mom crying this affected everyone even here in Canada. B

    ReplyDelete
  12. Yes, stunned. That's the perfect word choice, because I think that's exactly what we all were. Shell-shocked, because nothing like that could happen to our president, nothing like that could possibly dismantle Camelot. Today, it's rather stunning to realize it all took place fifty years ago.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I was young and in school and first remember the teachers being upset and then finding out why. My Dad had taken us to see his motorcade when he was in our area and having actually seen him, made him more than just a figure on TV. I was able to grasp the sadness from a different perspective, even though I was too young to fully comprehend all the ramifications.

    ReplyDelete
  14. My high school classmate recently posed this same question, as we were juniors in high school at the time. I believe I was in algebra class when the news was announced over the intercom; it seems as though that event triggered the realization that all is not well with the world.

    Sharon in Alabama

    ReplyDelete
  15. I was in the 7th grade in Spanish class.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hi Nellie , I wasn't born at the time , my family has spoke of JFK so often it seems as if I knew him . It was a sad day and certainly change the world , I'm making sure my kids learn about JFK , it's a bit of their history also , thanks for sharing :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Good post! I was a freshman in college at U of KY, when this happened. For sure, it was a sad time.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I was in the eighth grade in Hartford, Ct. I heard the news that the President had died in French class and we were dismissed and I walked home. I realize that not only was it our beloved President -- I loved President Kennedy -- but it was one of the first times I really thought about someone dying and especially someone so young. I sat in our den watching television with my parents for most of the weekend and remember leaving only to go to a service at our synagogue on Sunday afternoon. I am still sad fifty years later.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Oh yes, Nellie, that was a sad day, indeed.

    Despite all his human failings, JFK was a very charismatic leader who appealed to all echelons of society, both in the USA and in many countries!

    I remember that day as if it were yesterday and it's been 50 years already. Susan

    ReplyDelete
  20. Nellie..yes, it certainly was a very sad day. We were on our way to Missouri when the news came over the radio saying that Pres. Kennedy had been shot. What a horrific time for all of us.

    Blessings,
    Gert

    ReplyDelete
  21. I was in third grade. I guess our teacher had told us, because some of the girls were crying.

    ReplyDelete