JFK Assassination: 50 Years Later

On Nov. 22, 1963, Americans were shocked by the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

The 50th anniversary of this day brings back memories of a period in history that saw this nation at an all-time low. Its struggle to mend following the loss of a leader would be displayed in the months, and arguably decades, that followed.

There are those who still remember it like it was yesterday; Americans everywhere grieved as news anchor Walter Cronkite removed his glasses in a now iconic moment when he told the nation of Kennedy’s death.

UHS teacher Michael Pollock was a freshman in high school at the time.

“Walter Cronkite … was considered year after year after year as the most trusted man in America, and when he chokes up and starts tearing up onscreen talking about the [gravity] of what happened to the nation, it’s powerful stuff,” Pollock said.

Pollock recalled, “It’s one of those events – I think there’s three in my life – that stand out so vividly. I remember not only what happened, but I remember where I was, what it looked like, what it smelled like, what it felt like.”

Joan White, UHS teacher, was in first grade and age 6 at the time. White described the confusion at school that day after an announcement had been made over the intercom. Although she was too young to understand the full impact, she knew the situation was bad and followed the news coverage at home.

“All the attention was on the television,” White stated.

In the wake of this tragedy, Americans began to doubt their government. White also expressed interest in knowing the full story of what happened.

White said, “I think the biggest takeaway is that you should always question things.”

Perhaps now, more than ever, is a fitting time to ponder what might have been. Would Kennedy recognize today’s America? How would history have been different? Although we are prevented from ever knowing all the answers, we have the ability to learn from the past.

“The sad thing that it shows us … is that this can be a very violent country and you can move it to looking at the issue today of the battle over gun control, the right to bear arms, what kind of arms, and how should we be careful about who gets them and who doesn’t. That’s a debate that started well before that and has not ended,” Pollock added.

Kennedy represents a time in U.S. history when citizens rallied behind their leader.

“It was the president of the United States at a point where people really believed in the president of the United States – maybe the last one that people believed in and had faith in – and that changed and that has not gotten back to where it should be,” Pollock said. “That was a major impact as a 13- or 14-year-old, I didn’t understand all the implications of what was going on, but I knew that this was horrible and then a couple days later I … watched Oswald be assassinated on live national TV and that was powerful.”

Pollock stated, “It is an event that changed the direction of the nation and it took it in a direction that, in certain ways, we’ve never recovered from. It was a devastating event for the nation at that time.”tu

In 1963, the U.S. took on new leadership and attempted to move into the future, while simultaneously memorializing the past.

“I think that we tend to look at history through rose-colored glasses. At the time Kennedy was elected, he was elected barely. He squeaked it off, it was one of the closest elections that ever happened,” Pollock said. “There was a good portion of this nation that did not like him. He was a Northerner, he was a New Englander, he was a Catholic, and so the idea that he was this wildly popular, beloved figure in American history is a result of his leaving us too soon.”

Although much time has passed, and many conspiracy theories have been proposed, the relevance of the Kennedy assassination is seen through America’s resilience in the face of current tragedies.

Pollock stated, “History changes its view. Directly after his death, he was viewed as this amazing hero, then shortly thereafter there were some people who came out and said wait a second. We’ve now, after a period of time has passed, balanced the good and the bad, and I think historians look at him in both lights.”