50th Anniversary of Kennedy's Assassination

Today is the 50 anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and like many people I know exactly where I was when I heard the news. I was a part-time employee of the Metropolitan Library of Nashville and Davidson County (TN), and I was operating the library's telephone switchboard. I was a junior in college and had just turned 20 years old. I collect postal and other memorabilia related to the presidential libraries and have a number of items for Kennedy and the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum in Boston. Shown above is a first day cover for the 1984 National Archives stamp which features the collection of archival material related to the assassination of Kennedy. Almost immediately after Kennedy's death planning and fundraising for his presidential library was initiated. A thank you card from Jacqueline Kennedy for a donation to the library is shown below. Also shown below is a special event cover (envelope) for the dedication of the library. In a previous post about the 50th anniversary of the inauguration of Kennedy I included an image of a first day cover for the 1964 Kennedy commemorative stamp.