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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.

From The JFK Files: Russian Leader Suspected Dallas Police Of Involvement In The President’s Death

U.S. President John F. Kennedy meets Russian leader Nikita Khrushchev.
nara.gov/Public domain
U.S. President John F. Kennedy meets Russian leader Nikita Khrushchev.

From Texas Standard.

The federal government released some 2,800 documents related to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy on Thursday. A team at the Dallas Morning News has been poring over the much-anticipated trove since their release.

Enterprise reporter David Tarrant, who leads the team, says the task of digging through the files kept reporters up late.

“It’s fun. It’s a little bit like somebody is playing 52 card pickup with official government documents,” Tarrant says.

Highlights uncovered so far include:

–Memos from FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, wondering why Dallas police didn’t give Oswald more protection on the day he was killed.

–A CIA agent reported a conversation in which Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev speculated about whether Dallas police could have been involved in Kennedy’s murder. The Russian leader surmised that the American right-wing was behind the conspiracy, with the cooperation of the local police.

Reporters are still looking for information about Kennedy assassin Lee Harvey Oswald’s trip to Mexico City a month before Kennedy’s death. Tarrant says those details may be included in documents the Trump administration held back from yesterday’s release.

Written by Shelly Brisbin.

Copyright 2020 KUT 90.5. To see more, visit KUT 90.5.

Michael Marks