Assassination of John F. Kennedy
Margaret Maher: “Darkest day in America”

It was my fourteenth birthday on November 22, 1963, I was in study hall, waiting to leave school, to start my birthday celebration. It was probably around 2pm. I think we all noticed the teachers and staff whispering and crying. Suddenly the announcement was made over the intercom, the President has been shot in Dallas. I think we were all stunned. We were dismiss early. I only lived two blocks from school I ran home. My mother and aunts were crying in front of the TV set. This was our president, we were Irish Catholics, and he legitimized us. I still didn't understand he was gone. Then my mother told me, he's gone, he's gone, I was devastated.

It is still unbelievable even today I am an old woman now, a grandmother, a nurse and I have been hurt by many things in life. But this is something that I still cry about today. What a devastating tragedy for our country. For many years I couldn't tell any one my birthday without getting that sad look, and a knowing smile. I still want to know why, why did they take our president from us.

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