Immediate Cause of the Assassination
On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was shot and killed in Dallas, Texas. Lee Harvey Oswald fired shots from the Texas School Book Depository, striking Kennedy and Texas Governor John Connally. Oswald was later arrested and charged, but was killed two days before he could stand trial.
Political Context and Motives
Historians point to Cold War tensions, Cuba policy, and domestic divisions as factors. Kennedy escalated pressure on Cuba after the Bay of Pigs and Cuban Missile Crisis. He also pursued new civil rights legislation, which intensified opposition from some segregationist groups. These pressures created a climate in which extremist violence became possible.
Investigations and Official Findings
The Warren Commission concluded Oswald acted alone, but many Americans remained skeptical. Later reviews, including the 1979 House Select Committee on Assassinations, found a probable second gunman while still identifying Oswald as the assassin. The FBI and National Archives continue to release records to clarify the events of that day.
For detailed records and timelines, see the official National Archives JFK Assassination Collection at National Archives JFK Collection.
