Fifty years ago today.

[progressivejazzredux]

First year of grad school. Friday classes only in the morning. I went home to have lunch and watch the Mike Douglas Show, whose guests were the Four Freshmen. Thought I'd watch 'till two and then study the rest of the day.

At 1:30 or so, they broke in with some sort of incompletely stated bulletin. Being a progressive jazz fan, I resented their breaking in on the group I was listening to.

Then another announcement: the President had been shot. Now I had no thoughts for jazz, was just worried; but people survived being shot.

At about 2 came the horrible news. News that changed my life for about 20 years. I was an Irish Catholic Democrat who lived in Massachusetts. I really believed the Kennedy administration would usher in a time for a new generation, eventually my generation to take over. Now it was all in ashes.

A friend called and we went over to another friend's house that night and laid waste to his liquor cabinet. The only good thing--I acquired my taste for Cognac that night.

All was misery.

Marriage and finishing grad school got me out of it, though some still lingers.


I can't be the only one on this board with memories of that day. Please share yours.

[progressivejazzredux]

1. Bump to allow others to post.

I know there are folks here who were 15 at the time. Some who were 21, like me. Some who were older.

Please share your experiences.

[Auggie]

2. I was six years old

For some reason our school system had closed for the day and I was spending time with my grandmother in a nearby town.

The kid from next door was over, and we were sitting in Grandma's cramped dining nook adjacent to the kitchen. The radio was on as she fixed us lunchtime grilled cheese sandwiches.

Suddenly she came running from the kitchen. "Oh my God," she said, "Someone just shot the President!"

I said, "Someone should shoot whoever shot the President."

Two days later I watched as Jack Ruby murdered Lee Oswald on live television.

Wow.

I couldn't grasp the magnitude of what all happened -- nationally, politically -- but I do remember being very sad. Especially for Caroline (my age) and John-John, who lost their dad.

[Earth_First]

3. -17 years old...

Although I enjoy reading the perspective of those before me.

Kick!

[RebelOne]

4. I was 24 years old and sitting at home

with my 1-year-old son. My uncle stopped by while on his truck route and told me. So far, there had been nothing on TV.