Remembering November 22, 1963

[elfin]

On my way to a "blue book" exam in history at University of Michigan. Word of the shooting was on the store radio at the book store where I picked up the blue book.

Exam underway and then the proctor announced that Kennedy had died. then he announced "You have 15 extra minutes to finish the exam."

Amazing.

Stunned, returned back to the shared house and a two day vigil commenced with black and white TV through the killing of jack Ruby.

Our apartment was a gathering place with copious amounts of beer provided by a now judge, who cadged them from his job at a campus beer depot.

Drunken discourses on history, politics and somehow Shakespeare filled those sad days.

Then we went our separate ways back to various homes for Thanksgiving.

A strange, sad time forever etched in my soul.

[Sal Minella]

1. I probably bumped into you and said, "Excuse me"

at the Blue Front.

[elfin]

2. It was Ulrich's

But nice to know another of "us" was on campus that day.

[unkachuck]

3. I was....

....sick, home from school, laying in bed, when the news President Kennedy had been shot came over my radio....up until then, I 'believed' in America....I've been trying to regained that 'belief' since then....

[applegrove]

4. I was not born in 1963 but my grandfather wrote a letter to my aunt about

how everyone at a family reunion were crying over JFK's death. I've been to those reunions. Made me feel like I was there.

[Frank Jameson]

5. I have an older cousin who later told me his experience on that day.

Back then he was a young roustabout working on an offshore oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico.

In 1963, they would be brought ashore from the oil rig Friday afternoon for a long weekend in New Orleans.

It was only when they got ashore that they heard the news. He said they all headed for the bars -- which was usual. What was not usual was people out on the street drinking and cheering. He said that even after a few drinks he did not feel right being a part of such a celebration. He was somewhat of a hell-raiser back then, but he'd never seen people cheer a murder.

He said that about dark, he headed back to his rooming house. Which was something he'd never done so early.