I met Shannon Hall at South Side Ballroom, in the shadow of downtown Dallas. We were there for a day-long symposium called Understanding Tragedy: The Impact of the JFK Assassination on Dallas. As a junior at UNT, Shannon drives down as often as she can - to hear music at South Side, see exhibits at the Dallas Museum of Art, peruse the shops at Riverfront. As a small-town kid, though, her first impression of Dallas was terrifying - and for all her fondness toward Dallas, she hasn't totally shaken the feeling.
Interview highlights
On hearing the story of JFK's murder while passing through Dallas
Driving with my grandpa through Dallas, for the first time when I was young – I was probably like 7 or 8 years old – and he told me everything that had happened. It was the first time I had driven through Dallas. And I got a crazy feeling, like I was going to get shot. And so ever since then, like, I’ve always had that in the back of my head.
On that first impression's lasting effect
And I like seeing Dallas now though. Because – I love going here now. Everything is kind of like building, like the Arts District, and it just seems like a fun place to be. But then that fear, or kind of like weird tingle there in your spine - you kind of have it every time you go.