If you were alive when President Kennedy was killed would you please share your memories.?

I was in the 5th grade when Kennedy and Nixon squared off in televised debates. Our school paraded into the cafeteria to watch the debates on a television set on one of those ladders on wheels. Later, that evening, as our family was dining, Dad asked me what we did in school. When I informed him we watched the presidential debates, Dad asked me who I thought would make a better president. With all the confidence of a 5th grader, I announced to my staunchly conservative Republican family---that I believed Kennedy would make the better president. I had NO idea we were Republican---until I made my announcement. You should have heard the gasps of outraged shock! Well, Kennedy made a favorable impression on me. He became my childhood hero. I memorized his Inaugural Address. I tried to comb my hair as he combed his. I was in the 8th grade when he was assassinated. I was glued to the television for those three awful days of lying in state, the funeral, and the procession to Arlington National Cemetery. And, every night, when I was in my bed, I cried myself to sleep. You see, I KNEW that Kennedy's don't cry---not in public, any way. History has shown that Kennedy may not have been a faithful husband. But, he was symbolic. " For the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans." The Russians tested his resolve. And, he remained strong and decisive. Kennedy was trying to push for the Civil Rights Act. Upon learning that the assassin had been arrested, Mrs Kennedy inquired, " Was he a racist?" She was so disappointed to learn he was a Communist. I actively campaigned for his brother, Senator Robert Kennedy. And, I truly admired the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I read his inspired speeches. When King was assassinated, followed soon after by the assassination of Senator Kennedy, I was convinced that ANY great American would be murdered---by another American. My life has been permanently scarred by the brutal slayings of the three greatest men I was ever fortunate to know. I try to keep President Kennedy's words alive in my mind. " It is better to light one little candle---than to sit and curse the darkness." And, I dream the same dream as Dr. King. " I dream of the day when my children will be judged by the content of their character---not the color of their skin." Last night, in a link provided by a question asked on Y/A, I saw, for the first time, the pictures of what they did to my president. It was like a knife stabbed at my heart. And, all of a sudden, I wasn't a 64 year old man. I was back in the 8th grade, again. And, the grief lacerated my heart anew.

I was in high school. We were in the auditorium listening to a classical concert. The Principal, a nun, came on stage in the middle and announced that President Kennedy had been shot and killed. After a short pause, they finished the concert.

I remember thinking the sky was a weird turquoise color at sunset.

My family were Republican and didn't like Kennedy, but we certainly were shocked that he was assassinated.

I recall that Vice President Johnson was sworn in as President very quickly, Johnson, though a seasoned and powerful politician in Congress, was essentially excluded from power as Vice President, which left him in a difficult situation as new President in a crisis. This was typical in those days, and it made people think that Vice Presidents should be more involved in the government so they would be ready to take over at any moment.

The JFK assassination in 1963 seemed to shatter a sense of trouble-free safety that we had in those days, and probably contributed to the unrest that followed later, though much of it would have come anyway.. The Los Angeles riots started in 1965; Martin Luther King was assassinated in 1968, followed by riots which I also remember well, and JFK's brother Robert was assassinated two months later, the night before I graduated from college.

The RFK assassination took place on live TV, the JFK assassination was covered live without video, and the bloody events broadcast over and over again on TV; this was a new thing, in those days, to watch murder on live TV.

I can remember I was 17 on my first shift on the steelworks. I was asleep on the sofa when mother woke me to say President Kennedy had been shot. I was sorry for him of course,but as with Princess Diana at a much later date,one does not know these people.

It was a sad time for our nation. One thing that had an impact on me the next day, was how every where I went, the public was absolutely silent, and every where you looked, people had a newspaper open - with JFK's picture on the front. It was like a sea of newspapers all around.

Of course the funeral was very grim. A touching moment was when JFK's toddler son, John-John saluted his dead father's coffin.

I was13 years old. BBC Television announced his death briefly then showed an episode of ' Here's Harry' a comedy show starring the late Harry Worth. Perhaps not the wisest move

I was alive, but living in the Belgian Congo at the time, for two years. I didn't hear about it until weeks later.

As a Canadian, it didn't hit as close to home, but it was devastating all the same.

I was a little girl when that happened, but I have very distinct memories of it. I had never seen that many people crying on television, and it scared me. Walter Cronkite couldn't deliver the news, because he just broke down and cried.

We all waited to see if this meant war. War at that time meant using the infamous atomic bomb, and children were very scared by that prospect. Adults talked endlessly about preparing for war. When they had those conversations? I would leave the room and go play with my dolls. It was just too scary to listen to.

The schools closed and children were left with three days of non-stop reporting of the assassination on television. There was no cable TV back then, and you couldn't get movies to watch at home. The number of TV channels were limited, and they were all reporting about JFK. My little brother and I were desperately missing our daily cartoons and children's programs. All the children were! Television was the national baby-sitter for all parents everywhere.

More than once I remember calling the TV set a "rotten old poopy-head" because it wouldn't bring back my cartoons.

I don't believe that they had any commercials on any of the channels. That was scary too. When you are a child? It feels like the Martians have landed and taken over everyone's television set.

I did understand death, and I was very upset that someone had killed Mr. Kennedy. However, I didn't like watching the footage of JFK's death being run repeatedly and the scenes of Jacqueline walking around in that dress soaked with blood. Fortunately for children? Television was broadcast in black and white.

I remember the one time that I cried. It was the scene where little John-John Kennedy was saluting his father's coffin. That scene really got to me, and as a child? I could really relate to it. I felt angry and very sad that his daddy had been killed.

When I saw the news of when Jack Ruby shot Lee Harvey Oswald? I cheered and did a little victory dance. Jack Ruby became my hero, and I couldn't believe that they arrested him. As a little girl? I thought he was a national hero!

I don't feel that way anymore. With the death of Oswald? There were a lot of questions that would never be answered. Of course, I've forgotten that even with Jack Ruby in jail? We never got answers. Everything was always explained as a lone gunman. Case closed.

Not having any television to watch was also getting to the adults. My mother took us to visit her girlfriend. This woman was still crying and shaking like JFK had just died. It was very strange to me, because she cried like her own husband had died. We were hoping to play with this woman's children, but they were sad and depressed too. One child told me that his mother wouldn't stop crying, and it was making him mad. I think my mother lost patience too, because we didn't stay very long.

I would go on to see many adults reacting that way. Some of the teachers at my school broke down and cried when they had to tell us to go home. They could barely speak, and hugged one another for comfort.

These were neighborhood schools, and no child fooled around getting home on that day. I found my brother and we ran home. Something terrible had happened, but we didn't know what it was.

In a very short time? People started to get frustrated and suspicious. The government wasn't giving people too many answers about how this had happened to a president of the United States. Arguments started to erupt, and our teachers at school talked about it in hushed whispers.

Recalling this today? It was very much like the reaction we had to the attacks on September 11th. The only difference was that the JFK assassination was shown in black and white, and Septemeber 11th was broadcast in bloody color.

I guess there was one other HUGE difference. When John Kennedy was assassinated? We didn't go to war.

*Oh! I almost forgot... At that time? When people had theories and suspicions? They got discussed in the newspapers, and on television. No one tried to say that these people were part of a lunatic fringe called "conspiracy theorists." People were considered adults who could form their own opinions on whatever was being reported. It was okay in those days to disagree or to mention an unpopular point-of-view. It was all part of being an American.

I was a novice in the convent. first time a tv was bought into the convent . we watched all day with everyone else. we felt we knew him . he was our first Catholic president. we mourned him

why not i will if their is away of sharing it