JFK

President John F. Kennedy's assassination is an unforgettable part of Dallas' history.Nearly 54 years later, scholars and enthusiasts alike are still processing details from that fateful drive through Dealey Plaza now that the remaining investigation files have been unsealed. For the 50th anniversary in 2013, KERA produced special stories and reports from the commemoration:The 50th: Remembering John F. Kennedy was KERA's live, two-hour special covering the official commemoration event at Dealey Plaza in Dallas on Nov. 22, 2013. Hosted by Krys Boyd and Shelley Kofler, the special includes reports from KERA reporters before the ceremony begins. Listen to the special here.Bells tolled across the city, and the event featured historian David McCullough, who read from Kennedy’s presidential speeches; Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings; religious leaders; the U.S. Naval Academy Men’s Glee Club; and a moment of silence. Read highlights from the event from KERA's live blog from that day.Throughout the month, KERA posted an online series called 22 Days In November, which takes a closer look at that fateful day, what it meant to the country and how it affected Dallas.We shared stories and memories in a series called “JFK Voices.” Explore our archives below.

JFK Voices: Rev. Zan Holmes Remembers A Banquet Untouched

KERA | By Lyndsay Knecht

Published November 19, 2013 at 8:02 AM CST

Have people in Dallas been good stewards of the JFK tragedy? Rev. Zan Holmes wonders if we learned the lessons pain can teach.

Before the nation mourned, news of President John F. Kennedy's death made its way around a broken city. Some Dallasites were waiting to hear JFK speak at the Trade Mart when they heard he would never arrive. Rev. Zan Holmes remembers a party frozen in grief.

On the mood at the Trade Mart after hearing of Kennedy’s assassination:

The thing that I remember was all of the food that was left on the tables. I’ve never seen so much food left over anywhere, in all of my life. We needed some soul food – some food for our spirit. Because we were stripped of our pride and our pretention and our prejudice.

On the legacy of the assassination:

One of the greatest tragedies that we experience in life is not so much the tragedy of President Kennedy but the tragedy of unlearned lessons…I do believe that God does not want us to waste any experience that has happened to us. I believe if we don’t grow through what we’re going through, life will check our transcripts and send us back to repeat the course.