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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.

JFK Voices: Being Catholic In Dallas

Dr. Catalina Garcia was originally from El Paso. She came to Dallas to go to medical school.

Dr. Catalina Garcia isn't a Dallas native, but she fell in love with the city when she came for medical school. She learned about President Kennedy's assassination from a patient. She didn't pay much attention to politics at the time, but she learned quickly of the simmering tensions in Dallas.

Interview Highlights:

On being Catholic in Dallas:

I didn’t keep track of politics at that time. But I did hear all the anger at this president who was Catholic and since I was born and raised Catholic, I was a bit puzzled as to why being Catholic was a problem. I didn’t really understand why they didn’t like him.

On understanding the political climate in Dallas at the time:

I was really shocked at the attitudes at the time in Dallas and my family was very aware of the civil rights situation. It hasn’t been wonderful for Latinos in Texas either. What this anniversary has done is just brought back the realization that we have to do something in this country about more exchanges, more understanding about the differences among us, more discussion where we really hear each other.

Former KERA staffer Krystina Martinez was an assistant producer. She produced local content for Morning Edition and KERANews.org. She also produced The Friday Conversation, a weekly series of conversations with North Texas newsmakers. Krystina was also the backup newscaster for the Texas Standard.