[POLITICS—KENNEDY ASSASSINATION]. PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY'S MOTORCADE AFTER THE FATAL SHOTS IN DALLAS

[POLITICS—KENNEDY ASSASSINATION]. PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY'S MOTORCADE AFTER THE FATAL SHOTS IN DALLAS

KENNEDY ASSASSINATION. Original black-and-white Associated Press Wirephoto, early-generation press photograph. Dallas, Texas, November 23, 1963. Approximately 8 × 10 inches. A dramatic overhead view shows President John F. Kennedy's open limousine speeding toward Parkland Hospital after the fatal shots, with Secret Service personnel and Mrs. John Connally visible in the vehicle. A white arrow points to Kennedy's foot protruding over the side of the car and a black arrow identifies Mrs. Connally; the caption notes Governor John Connally and the AP Wirephoto credit. The image preserves the confusion and urgency of the motorcade's flight to medical care. Visible condition includes light handling and surface wear, scattered foxing or brown spots, marginal creases, edge and corner wear, and a diagonal or lower-edge crease; the glossy surface shows localized abrasion. Approximate physical print dimensions: 10 × 8 in. (254 × 203 mm).

The printed caption reads: “DALLAS, Tex., Nov. 23 (AP)—This picture, made moments after Kennedy was shot here yesterday, shows his car speeding toward Parkland Hospital. White arrow points to Kennedy's foot protruding over side of car. Black arrow points to Mrs. John Connally, wife of Texas' Governor; Connally is visible just to the right of secret service man leaning over back of car. (AP Wirephoto) Pac Lon.” The arrows are printed editorial annotations within the image, not later additions.

The verso bears an AP Wirephoto reproduction stamp, a blue library filing stamp with “Folder: Pres. John F. Kennedy,” “Received: 25 NOV 1963,” and a handwritten publication notation, together with “DEAD ANNEXE FILES.” A large blue “1963” stamp and further manuscript routing marks record the print's newspaper-library handling. The reproduction stamp includes standard AP pricing and enlargement instructions, indicating production as a distributed wire-service print from an agency source image.

On November 22, 1963, Kennedy was shot while riding in the presidential motorcade through Dealey Plaza. He was transported to Parkland Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead; Governor Connally, also wounded, survived. The motorcade photographs and film footage became central evidence in the immediate public record of the assassination, while the rapid AP distribution helped newspapers publish images within hours of the event.

This is a particularly compelling newsroom artifact because the photograph does not simply show the presidential limousine: it captures the vehicle in motion during the emergency evacuation and retains the AP's explanatory arrows, exact near-contemporary caption, wirephoto format, and library receipt history.

Provenance: Distributed by Associated Press; From the Eric C. Caren Archive.