November 22, 1963- most Americans recognize it as the day John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. For me, it’s my earliest memory; I witnessed history while having no idea what it was about. I was three years, seven months, and four days old, but I can clearly remember being parked in front of a black and white television as the camera was fixated on a shot of Parkland Hospital in Dallas. I recall the adults around me being very sad and somber, though I was too young to be able to process the emotions and import of the moment.
I don’t know why that particular memory stuck with me, but it might have had something to do with the emotional trauma it brought to so many around me. Today being the 50th anniversary of JFK’s murder, I find myself thinking about that first memory, and I take a couple things from that memory:
- I’m getting old, and
- Fifty years later, the events of November 22, 1963 still carry emotional and historical weight.
JFK’s assassination ripped America out of its collective slumber. Soon after came Vietnam, the Civil Rights movement, the clash of generations, Kent State and the rest of the Sturm und Drang that characterized the ’60s. Pleasantville died with JFK, and what rose from the ashes was an angry nation deeply divided along lines of culture, class, religion, age, and any number of other characteristics.
JFK was the first President born in the 20th century. His youth, vitality, articulate nature, and beautiful young wife brought Camelot to life in the White House. It gave Americans the opportunity to forget about their problems, even as things were spinning out of control. His assassination brought Americans face to face with the truth that the America they thought they lived in was disappearing- if it had ever truly existed. In its place came something they neither recognized nor understood.
That we’re commemorating today is proof of the impact that JFK’s assassination had on shaping the country we live in today. Suddenly, America was forced to realized that there was an ugly, dangerous, and in some cases deadly side to America. America would gradually because angrier, less tolerant, more confrontational, and less willing to understand and respect its place in the world. America is where it is today in large part because of events set in motion by the tragedy visited upon America that day. Whether for good or ill is a debate best left for another day, but America changed irrevocably on November 22,1963.
We’re fortunate to live in a very different world today, but it’s worthwhile to remember that late 1963 saw America on the precipice of social, cultural, and political conflicts that could easily have torn it apart. Getting through it, and the rest of the ’60s, demonstrated that Americans really are very resilient. That knowledge has stood us in good stead over the years, and even when things look bleak, we know that we’re Americans- we find a way to pick ourselves up and get on with it. That dark and terrible day helped to bring us to where we are today- good, bad, and ugly.
It’s good to look back sometimes, even when they memories are unpleasant. Unless we know where we’ve been, we can’t hope to understand where we are. I had no idea what I was witnessing that day, but it clearly made an impression. Fifty years later, I think I’ve gained enough perspective to understand what JFK’s assassination meant for all of us.
