After firing three shots at the Kennedy motorcade, Lee Harvey Oswald swiftly concealed his rifle among the stacks of textbook boxes on the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository. Descending a stairwell, he encountered his supervisor and a policeman in a second-floor lunchroom just 90 seconds after the shooting, escaping suspicion.

Acting casually, he left the building three minutes after the incident, right as police were attempting to secure the area.

Oswald initially took a city bus, but due to traffic from the chaotic aftermath, he disembarked and hailed a taxi to his rooming house in Oak Cliff. There, observed by the housekeeper, he quickly changed into a jacket and, unbeknownst to her, carried a concealed pistol.

While having a private lunch with members of JFK’s administration at his suburban Virginia home, Robert “Bobby” F. Kennedy, the President’s brother, received a phone call from FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover.

Just 15 minutes after the shooting, Hoover conveyed the chilling message to Bobby’s wife that “I have news for you. The President’s been shot.”

When Bobby inquired about the extent of JFK’s injuries, Hoover responded impassively, saying, “I think it is serious. I am endeavoring to get details. I’ll call you back when I find out more,” before promptly hanging up.

The President arrived at Parkland Hospital at 12:38 pm CST, rushed to Trauma Room No. 1. Despite efforts by doctors, a tracheotomy, and chest massage, it was clear JFK’s injuries were fatal. Twelve minutes later, he was pronounced dead after the last rites.

A dispute arose as Dallas County Medical Examiner Earl Rose insisted on a local autopsy per Texas law. In a tense exchange, the Secret Service intervened, ensuring a swift departure to the airport and loading JFK’s body onto Air Force One to avoid jurisdictional conflicts.

Around 2 pm EST, news networks interrupted regular programming to cover JFK’s assassination. Unconfirmed rumors of President Kennedy’s death circulated for 38 minutes, with Walter Cronkite repeating various reports, including one from Dan Rather, who spoke to a priest at Parkland Hospital confirming it.

At 2:38 pm EST, Cronkite received an Associated Press news flash officially confirming the President’s death. Close to Kennedy, Cronkite was visibly moved, choking up as he delivered the news.

Lee Harvey Oswald left his rooming house after 1 pm, aimlessly wandering. At 1:15 pm, he encountered Officer JD Tippit, whom he shot four times. The area quickly filled with police, and Oswald’s movements drew attention.

Followed by a shoe store employee, he entered a theater, where police apprehended him after a struggle. Led outside, an angry crowd, aware of his connection to Officer Tippit’s murder and possibly the President’s, jeered and threatened him.

At 2:38 pm CST, Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as President of the United States by Judge Sarah T. Hughes, appointed by JFK a few months earlier. This marked the first and only instance of a woman administering the oath of office to a U.S. President.

Despite the Kennedy entourage’s preference for him to fly home on Air Force Two, Johnson insisted that Jackie Kennedy stand next to him during the oath, emphasizing Kennedy’s support for the transition.

From the moment news of the assassination broke, all media provided continuous coverage for four days. Around 6:00 pm EST, Air Force One landed at Andrews Air Force Base, carrying President Johnson, JFK’s body, and the Kennedy entourage.

Viewers witnessed President Kennedy’s coffin being unloaded, and Jackie, still in her blood-stained pink outfit, emerged with Robert Kennedy. Despite the option to change, Jackie insisted on keeping the outfit, wanting people to see “what they have done to Jack.”

The outfit, with bloodstains, is stored in the National Archives, restricted until 2103 by Caroline Kennedy’s request. The whereabouts of Jackie’s lost pillbox hat remain unknown.

After sealing off the Texas School Book Depository, the police gathered employees, realizing Lee Harvey Oswald was missing. A rifle found on the sixth floor, identified by Oswald’s wife, linked him to the scene. At his arrest, police suspected his involvement in JFK’s assassination.

Charged with Officer Tippit’s death on Friday night and arraigned for Kennedy’s death at 1:30 am on Saturday, Oswald’s background as a Marine sharpshooter and former Soviet resident heightened the surreal aftermath.

In jail, he vehemently proclaimed innocence, stating, “I’m just a patsy,” fueling conspiracy theories about a Cuban plot to kill JFK.

On Sunday, November 24, President John F. Kennedy’s flag-draped casket was carried to the US Capitol Rotunda on the same horse-drawn caisson that transported Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945. The funeral procession, featuring the Kennedy family, service members, and numerous dignitaries, drew an estimated 1,000,000 spectators.

Over 24 hours, around 250,000 members of the public, enduring freezing temperatures, filed into the Capitol to pay their respects. The line, at times stretching for more than two miles, left many thousands unable to gain access when the viewing concluded the next day.

On November 24, Dallas police decided to move Lee Harvey Oswald to a safer jail location. As Oswald was led through the jail basement, Jack Ruby, a Dallas strip club owner, fatally shot him, broadcasting the attack live. Oswald died at Parkland Hospital.

Ruby’s ties to the Mafia and his death from cancer while appealing his murder conviction raised suspicions. Some believe Ruby impulsively sought hero status, citing evidence of an unplanned killing, such as leaving his dog in the car and wiring money before shooting Oswald. Doubts linger about the premeditation of this act.

The NFL faced criticism for playing games the day after JFK’s assassination, seen as prioritizing profit over civic responsibility. Despite cancellations in college football and the American Football League, NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle claimed encouragement to proceed.

The decision, met with immediate backlash, continued to be a source of regret for Rozelle throughout his career, as many saw it as placing sports above the national mourning for the President.

On November 25, the funeral mass for John F. Kennedy took place at St. Matthew’s Cathedral, attended by over 1,200 guests. The mass included biblical passages, the President’s inaugural address, and Schubert’s Ave Maria. Following the ceremony, the flag-draped casket was returned to the caisson for its journey to Arlington National Cemetery.

As the casket descended the cathedral steps in front of the Kennedy family, Jackie whispered something to her son, John. In response, the young boy saluted his father’s casket, creating an iconic moment. The children were deemed too young for the actual burial, making this their final farewell to their father. Notably, it was also John F. Kennedy Jr.’s third birthday.

After Monday’s funeral mass at St. Matthew’s, John F. Kennedy’s casket was escorted to Arlington National Cemetery in a procession featuring leaders from 99 nations, the most since King Edward VII’s death in 1910. Despite initial thoughts of burial in Brookline, MA, JFK’s birthplace, Jacqueline Kennedy chose Arlington, stating, “He belongs to the people.”

The gravesite, selected in front of the Custis-Lee Mansion, features an eternal flame lit during the funeral.

In the first year after the burial, around 3,000 people per hour visited, and within three years, over 16 million people had paid their respects. This led to the construction of a larger memorial in 1967. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was later buried at the same site on May 23, 1994.

While the world focused on the President’s funeral, Lee Harvey Oswald was hastily buried in Fort Worth, TX, at Rose Hill Cemetery. The brief ceremony had only his immediate family, and reporters were reluctantly pallbearers.

Oswald’s afterlife was tumultuous, marked by a stolen gravestone in 1967 and a 1981 exhumation to dispel conspiracy theories, confirming his identity through dental records and a childhood scar.

President Johnson established the Warren Commission, led by Chief Justice Earl Warren, to investigate the assassination. The commission’s report, released in 1964, concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, though this finding has been subject to debate and skepticism.

World leaders and international communities expressed shock and condolences, reflecting JFK’s global stature. Nations around the world mourned, and many held memorial services to honor the fallen president.

The New York Stock Exchange closed early on the day of the assassination and remained closed the following day, reflecting the national shock and uncertainty. This closure was a sign of the deep economic and emotional impact of the assassination.

President Johnson declared November 25, 1963, a national day of mourning, and millions of Americans and people worldwide paused to honor JFK. Businesses closed, and people attended memorial services in an unprecedented expression of grief.

Jacqueline Kennedy lit an eternal flame at JFK’s gravesite in Arlington National Cemetery, symbolizing the ongoing impact of his legacy. The flame remains a poignant reminder of his presidency and untimely death.

Numerous investigations and conspiracy theories about the assassination began to emerge, questioning the official account and suggesting alternative scenarios. These theories continue to fuel public fascination and skepticism about the events of that day.

The Secret Service implemented significant changes in its protocols for protecting the President, including more rigorous training, better coordination with local law enforcement, and advancements in communication and security technology.

JFK’s assassination galvanized support for civil rights legislation, which Johnson championed as part of his “Great Society” program. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were landmark achievements in this regard.

Abraham Zapruder’s film of the assassination became a crucial piece of evidence, offering a graphic and detailed account of the event. The film has been analyzed extensively and remains a key source for researchers and historians.

Hundreds of thousands of people participated in a silent march in Washington, D.C., in JFK’s honor, demonstrating the profound impact of his presidency and the deep sorrow felt by the nation. This march was a powerful display of unity and respect for the fallen president.

Television and radio networks interrupted regular programming to provide continuous coverage of the assassination and its aftermath. This marked one of the first times in history that television played such a central role in uniting the nation during a crisis.

Across the United States, schools and public institutions closed as the nation went into mourning. This closure reflected the deep impact of the assassination on everyday life and the collective grief experienced by Americans.

In a rare global gesture, even Cold War adversaries, including the Soviet Union, expressed condolences and paused hostile activities briefly, recognizing the gravity of the assassination. This pause indicated the extent to which JFK’s presidency had impacted international relations.

In response to the assassination, security measures for public officials, especially the President, were significantly increased. This included enhanced protection during public appearances and stricter screening processes at events.

JFK’s assassination led to a shift in public sentiment and the political climate in the U.S., with increased skepticism towards government and authorities. This shift was a precursor to the turbulent social and political changes of the late 1960s, including the civil rights movement and protests against the Vietnam War.