From the archives: Walter Cronkite reports on John F. Kennedy's assassination on Nov. 22, 1963

On Nov. 22, 1963, at approximately 12:30 p.m. CST, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas while riding in a presidential motorcade. JFK, the 35th president, was only 46 years old. CBS News Anchor Walter Cronkite reported on the details and aftermath of the tragedy from the studio in New York.

#news #archives #jfk

[marcelinodavila]

Am 81 years old, 22 when JFK was assassinated, l still feel the agony of disbelief, RIP beloved president.

[jamespace]

Walter Cronkite was the epitome of journalism and integrity of reporting. I have a journalism backround and he was literally required reading.

[jaylouis]

It really touched me when Walter Cronkite started choking up when he was reporting the official death announcement. I appreciate seeing when those who are tasked with reporting the news allow themselves to be human, if only for a moment.

[patrici]

I was five years old when this happened. You could actually feel the grief coming from everyone. The entire town got real quiet. It felt like someone had shot the United States.

My parents were shocked and in grief. My Dad couldn't even talk about it for days. He would just shake his head. And look down at the ground. Sometimes he would watch the news about it. And not say a word.

My Mom and I watched President Kennedy's funeral on television. She was so very sad. As she explained it to me.

I never understood why this happened. Everyone just loved the President.

[bakenumber]

Mr. Cronkite kept his professional abilities together through out the entire gasly broadcast, what a pro.

[elijahvincent]

8:37 the most haunting news announcement in all of broadcast history. God bless Walter Cronkite for his professionalism.

[cgimovieman]

My mom was just 12 when this happened. She’s told me the story of that day many times, and about the moment she found out when she was in school. The shock and amount of overwhelming grief was just unimaginable. In my own lifetime, 9/11 had a similar feeling of unimaginable shock, and I remember that whole day like it was yesterday myself.

[Militaria_Collector]

Changed america forever. Just sickening.

[washredskin]

What a crushing day this was for our country.

[Arnold-vfcg]

I received a letter from Walter Cronkite when he retired in which he wrote to me that "the rumors of my retirement are greatly exaggerated." He was "Uncle Walter" whom we all received the news from every evening for decades and trusted for his news sense.

[libertyann]

He looked like he was about to cry but kept it together. 💯

[PatrickMersinger]

Walter Cronkite was a total professional, the best there was. Even he was choked up when he announced the official news flash announcement. Television news really came of age that day. Until then newspapers and radio were the big news bringers. When this happened people had to know, and they turned on tv’s at there homes, in public places, storefront windows wherever they could find one. This was pretty much the beginning of tv news supremacy for decades to come.

[donnacox]

This shattered me. It is one of my life's experiences that I still carry the grief from in my soul.

[Funny]

Thank you for remembering JFK and posting this on his anniversary

[NateInDC]

I wasn't even born yet, but it was a sad day for America, Walter Cronkite did a good job holding it together after the official announcement, he was deeply saddened

[matthewklein]

If I recall correctly, Cronkite waited to release the news of Kennedy's death until it was confirmed. Sacrificing being first.

[SuperchiefApache]

This is when reporting was real!! I remember Walter quite well. He was an amazing news reporter….real news, real people, real life!

[scootdaws]

It was amazing how Conkright kept it together though you could see how hard it was for him.

[KiamKweli]

Greatly appreciate you putting this footage up. So many forget what living through this was like. Others like myself weren't alive to see it personally. Thank you.

[texasstep]

I was in a 4th-grade classroom in St. Joseph's Catholic School in Yakima, WA. The teachers were suddenly all called to the office, and then returned to classes with the news of the shooting. We immediately began saying the rosary. I still remember the chill I got when the news of Kennedy's death came. School was dismissed, and we went home to more shock and tears.

Cronkite and other reporters were so professional. In such a situation today, the snarky political accusations and commentary would begin almost immediately.