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 Friday's event will feature brief remarks by the mayor, the
tolling of church bells and readings from the president's speeches
by author David McCullough.
It's a reverential approach that will be mirrored in Boston, where
the JFK Library and Museum will open a small exhibit of
never-before-displayed items from Kennedy's state funeral and host a
musical tribute that isn't open to the public, and in Washington,
where President Barack Obama will meet privately at the White House
with leaders and volunteers from the Kennedy-established Peace Corps
program.
The committee convened by current Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings to plan
the city's event wanted to focus "in a positive way more on the
legacy of President Kennedy," said Ron Kirk, a former mayor and
member of the panel.
About 5,000 tickets were issued for the free ceremony in Dealey
Plaza, which is flanked by the Texas School Book Depository building
where sniper Lee Harvey Oswald perched on the sixth floor. The U.S.
Naval Academy Men's Glee Club will perform in a nod to Kennedy's
military service and there will be an Air Force flyover. A moment of
silence will be held at 12:30 p.m., when the president was shot.
Numerous events were held around Dallas this year to mark the
milestone anniversary, including panels with those who were there
that day, special concerts and museum exhibits.
As press aide for Gov. John Connally, Julian Read was in a media bus
several vehicles behind the presidential limousine. After the
gunshots, he watched as the vehicle, carrying the mortally wounded
Kennedy and injured governor, sped away. Read released a book this
year recounting his experience and has attended several of the
events, which he called cathartic. "Even though there are all those melancholy thoughts, the way it's
shaping up ... gives me more of a comfort than any time since 1963,"
said Read, who will be at the official ceremony Friday.
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The Coalition on Political Assassinations, a group that believes
Kennedy's death was part of a conspiracy, usually gathers on the
plaza's "grassy knoll" for a moment of silence each Nov. 22. Since
it'll be blocked off this year, executive director John Judge — who
first came to Dealey Plaza for the fifth anniversary of JFK's death
in 1968 — says he's reached a "livable" agreement with the city.
The group — which plans to wear specially made T-shirts with an
image of Kennedy's head with a bullet hole and blood and the slogan
"50 years in denial is enough" — will gather a few blocks away and
move to the plaza after the official ceremony ends.
Also Friday, the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce will host a
breakfast at the hotel where he gave his last speech and spent the
final night of his life.
In Boston, the private musical tribute will feature Paul Winter,
whose jazz sextet performed for Kennedy at the White House, along
with a U.S. Navy choir and James Taylor. Other notable guests
include Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, who is scheduled to read
quotes from Kennedy's speeches.
[Associated
Press; JAMIE STENGLE and
NOMAAN MERCHANT]
Copyright 2013 The Associated
Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
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