Exhibit offers rare glimpse into assassination of JFK

AUSTIN, TX

To mark the anniversary, a rare exhibit opens today in Austin, giving the public an unprecedented look back at that day in history.

There are moving images of that November day in Dallas, of President Kennedy and Governor John Connally in a motorcade. Then, the panic as a sniper took aim and fired.

The pictures are fleeting and familiar. What hasn't been seen in nearly 50 years is the suit and dress shirt worn by Governor Connally that bear the violence and the blood of that day.

State Archives Conservator Sarah Norris said, "There's two bullet holes in this right cuff -- one in the side and one in the front."

They were the same bullets that killed President Kennedy. Shortly after the assassination, Governor Connally donated the clothing to the state library and archives. Mrs. Connally is said to have had it cleaned first, but the stains remain. It was briefly displayed in 1964. This is the first time since then

There are documents from the aftermath of the president's death, including the police homicide report. For the name of victim it reads 'Kennedy, John F.' There are copies of speeches that he never made on that day. Combined, it paints a picture.

"These were dark days for Dallas and the possibility of a conspiracy, and whether this was because of the environment in Dallas and in Texas," said preservation officer John Anderson.

It is a somber exhibit. People look but don't speak. Fifty years later, what happened is still with us.

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