JFK Trolley Tour

With the four years that Caleb served on the Youth Advisory Council for The Sixth Floor Museum we got to see lots of really great pieces of history.  Some of my favorites were witnessing the taping of the Living History series. These were key people on the day of JFK's assassination and events that followed.  We were also able to be on hand when Stephen King debuted his 11.22.63: A Novel. 

Caleb was immersed in the events he has a great working knowledge of the events that transpired during that time in American history.   Now it was time to give the girls a better understanding of that time period.  We took the JFK Trolley Tour departing Daley Plaza.  The trolley traced the parade route and placed related to Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby. 

The tour traced the route Lee Harvey Oswald traveled after the shooting, including the house where he rented a room. After the shooting, Oswald took a cab to his boarding room, 2 or 3 miles from the Texas School Book Depository, then on to where Oswald shoot the police officer J.D. Tippit then on to the Texas Theatre where he was captured. All interesting in the timing and location from downtown. 

It was interest to hear the actual audio of the Dallas PD calling in Tippit's shooting. The Dallas Police Department arrested Oswald for the killing Officer Tippit only late to tie back to the JFK assignation later in the day, when they realized Oswald was the only Texas School Book Depository employee unaccounted for. 

Last portion of tour was back to the Dallas City and County Jails where Oswald was shot. We also saw where Ruby's night club was located.  We also saw the street entrance where Ruby slid in with reporters to kill Oswald.

It was really fascinating to lay out the pieces in a sequential narrated fashion.  It was also amazing how small downtown Dallas was in 1963!  Caleb would love it!

What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.  Ecclesiastes 1:9

Sixth Floor Museum Send Off

For the past five years Caleb has served on the Sixth Floor Museum’s Youth Advisory Council.  They are youth ambassadors and docents for the museum.  He has really enjoyed serving on the committee and interacting with the wonderful programs the museum offers. 

Today was the last Youth Advisory Committee meeting for Caleb and the other graduating senior Ellisa.  Elissa is headed to Johns Hopkins University as a Political Science major, with a minor in Economics. Ms. Ani, their adviser made sure they had a great send off!   

for there is a reward for your work,

declares the Lord . . .     

17 

There is hope for your future,

declares the Lord

Jeremiah 31:16-17

JFK Living History with Max Holland

 

Tonight's Living History for the Sixth Floor Museum featured journalist Max Holland.  Caleb and other members of the museum's Youth Advisory Committee served as docents for the program tracing the history of the Zapruder film.

 

Mr.  Holland is a journalist and author and tonight he walked through the tangled history of the most famous yet misunderstood piece of evidence from the assassination: the 26.5-second long film made by Dallas businessman Abraham Zapruder.

 

As a journalist, he has studied and written about various aspects of the assassination for more than two decades, with articles appearing in a variety of publications ranging from Newsweek, The Atlantic and The New York Times, to scholarly journals like Studies in Intelligence. His assassination-related book was The Kennedy Assassination Tapes.  In 2011, Mr. Holland was the lead consultant for a National Geographic Television documentary about the Kennedy assassination that premiered in November 2011, entitled JFK: The Lost Bullet. 

 

One of the fun portions of the Living History program is the question and answer segment.  Caleb said there was a lot of lively conspiracy theory conversation in tonight's program. 

His officials conspired against him and assassinated him at Beth Millo, on the road down to Silla.
2 Kings 12:20

Sixth Floor Museum's CSI Family Day

Today was the Sixth Floor Museums 9^th annual CSI Family Day.  It is visitors opportunity to examine a crime scene, gather and study evidence like fingerprints and eyewitness testimony, and crack the case.

Caleb and other members of the Youth Advisory Committee assisted aspiring crime scene investigators in examining a mock crime scene, complete with police report, and perform forensic analysis at evidence stations.

The program is a partnership with the Dallas Police Department, the University of North Texas Forensic Science Program, and UNT’s Forensic Science Club. The Forensic Science Club's mission is to enable students in the UNT Forensic Science Certification Program to learn about the forensic science field, establish a presence in the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS), and several other really smart people!

Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night.
Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel 2:19

Days to Remember

If you got the weather report that five to six inches of snow were headed your way wouldn't you head to a museum.  That's what we did!   The Education Coordinator at The Sixth Floor Museum where Caleb has volunteered for the past five years made arrangements for him to have some of his senior pictures taken at the museum.  What a great privilege!

 

Fortunately the weather cooperated and we made it to the museum and back home just ahead of the weather!

these days should be remembered
Esther 9:28

The Sixth Floor Museum and The Dallas Love Project

In 2013 fifty pieces from The Dallas Love Project were donated to the permanent collection of The Sixth Floor Museum.  Today all of those pieces were on exhibit  at the museum.  Caleb and other members of the museum’s Youth Advisory Committee assisted museum goers with an interactive art project for all ages. 

Today’s program also featured Karen Blessen, of The Dallas Love Project and a performance by Will and AP of the Journeyman Ink.

The artwork is exhibited citywide, with inspirational quotes about love, peace and community from JFK, peacemakers, poets, musicians, and artists.  Caleb added his art to a collage that went up on the 7th floor today.

 

Turn from evil and do good;    seek peace and pursue it.
Psalm 34:14

JFK Living History with Eugene Boone

 

As the last Living History program for 2014, The Sixth Floor Museum hosted Eugene Boone, former deputy sheriff. Boone described walking through the sixth floor in the Texas School Book Depository, searching around the stack of books with battery-powered flashlights for "anything that didn't belong." Between two stacks of books in a crevice, that's where he found the rifle used to shoot the President.

Mr. Boone was the youngest Deputy Sheriff that worked in the Dallas Sheriff’s office in 1962 and was recognized as “Rookie of the Year.”   The conversation with Mr. Boone was hosted by Museum Associate curator, Stephen Fagin.  Caleb and other members of the Museum’s Youth Advisory Committee served as docents for the event.

Prior to joining the Sherriff’s Department, Mr. Boone worked at the Dallas Times Herald and had contact with Jack Ruby.  In the conversation Mr. Boone said his impression of Jack Ruby was that Ruby killed Oswald to drum up business for his club.  He thought Ms. Ruby felt no one would convict him for killing Oswald because ‘everyone wanted to do it.’ 

If you are in the area and have the opportunity to check out the Museum's Living History series, please do!  It is amazing to hear these first hand stories from those who witnessed history!  Caleb has loved serving for the past five years on the Youth Advisory Committee.  So many fascinating stories! 

Lord, I have heard of your fame;
    I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord.
Repeat them in our day,
    in our time make them known;
    in wrath remember mercy.

Habakkuk 3:2 

6th Floor Museum - Behind the Scenes

Every other month the Sixth Floor Museum's Youth Advisory Committee gets together to plan up coming events.  Here is a behind the scenes look at the October meeting.  The kids met with their advisor, Ms. Ani to sort through the applicants for additional committee members.  The Committee has ten members and are looking to add four more members from the forty applicants.

 

These kids serve from various high schools all over the metroplex and are generally referred by teacher advisers to the program.  The Youth Advisory Committee also serves along side the Sixth Floor Museum's Teacher Advisory Committee.  There are a lot of volunteer hours served behind the scenes by these young people.

 

But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. Luke 22:26

JFK Living History: Pierce Allman

Today’s LivingHistory Program featured former WFAA-Radio program director, Pierce Allman.  Mr. Allman was one of the first journalists inside the Texas School Book Depository after the assassination. He is believed to have encountered Lee Harvey Oswald leaving the building.  Allman ran into the book depository to phone that the President had been shot as a man believed to be Oswald was running out of the building.  Mr. Allman is the voice you hear narrating the museum's audio guide.

Allman told the audience today that there was no doubt in his mind that Oswald was the shooter acting alone.  Allman recalled that fateful day in Dallas, when he was a young newsman, at the corner of Elm Street directly across from the Texas School Book Depository, to see the young first couple.

“They turned the corner and (closes his eyes) boom!” he recalled.  To Mr. Allman, it's as if it happened yesterday.  “If I go to the site, it's forever 1963,” he said. “I can hear it. I can see it. It's a memory that stays with you forever.” Fifty years later, a day still frozen in time.

Mr. Allman took the time after today’s program to take a photo with Caleb and another member of the Sixth Floor Museum’s Youth Advisory Committee and a teacher advisor. 

Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless.  Ecclesiastes 3:19

JFK Living History: Remembering Officer J.D. Tippit

 

 

Tonight the Sixth Floor Museum held a special Living History Program, "Remembering Officer J.D. Tippit."  Caleb and other members of this year's Youth Advisory Committee welcomed visitors and passed our programs to the special event.

 

The evening began with a badge presentation to Mrs. Marie Tippit by Dallas Police Chief David Brown.  The  conversation continued with the Tippit family talking about the man Officer Tippit was - a family man who loved his job. 

 

History remembers Officer Tippit as the police officer shot by Lee Harvey Oswald, after Oswald had assassinated President John F. Kennedy.  Officer Tippet would have celebrated his 90th birthday this year.

 

Therefore strong peoples will honor you;    cities and nations will revere you
Isaiah 25:3

Sixth Floor Museum's Youth Summit

Today was the JFK Corps Youth Summit.  Caleb and other members of the Sixth Floor Museum’s Youth Advisory Committee invited youth volunteers from the Dallas Heritage Village, Dallas Symphony Orchestra and World Affairs Council of Dallas/Ft. Worth.

The kids heard from motivational speaker Raul Magdaleno.  As a youth, Raul accumulated over 30,000 hours of community service since the age of thirteen.  As a result he earned the US Congressional Award Gold Medal, the highest civilian award for youth given by the United States Congress.

The youth attending the Summit brought school supplies to be donated to Reconciliation Outreach’s Back to School Bash that serves hundreds of families in East Dallas.  Reconciliation Outreach all runs “The Refuge,” a shelter for battered women and children in East Dallas since 2001.  Reconciliation Outreach is one of the largest privately funded non-profits in the Greater Dallas area offering low-income housing, elementary school, community soup kitchen, separate single women and men homeless shelters, a Children’s and Youth Recreation Center and a multi-story non-profit leasing center.

Following a morning of inspiration on ways the youth can give back to the community the youth then headed over to Reconciliation Outreach to serve.  Caleb and his group worked on washing and cleaning vehicles, others painted and cleaned.

You must serve faithfully and wholeheartedly in the fear of the Lord.
2 Chronicles 19:9 

JFK Living History with J. Walter Coughlin

Caleb & J. Walter Coughlin

Harry Bailey to JFK Docent

Another wonderful installment in the Living History Series at the Sixth Floor Museum.  Caleb and other members of the Youth Advisory Committee acted as ambassadors for the event hosting Secret Service agent J. Walter Coughlin.  He served as a U.S. Secret Service agent from 1961 to 1977.  He served on the details for President Kennedy, President Johnson and Vice President Hubert Humphrey.  Mr. Coughlin was also part of the advanced team for San Antonio on President Kennedy's trip to Texas.  

The living history events are hosted with a moderator and then the end of the event is opened up for audience question and answer session. 

When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away.  Matthew 22:22

JFK Sixth Floor Museum's Living History with Kari-Mette Pigmans

You've got to love living in the Dallas area and especially all the great things to do here!  Of course one of our favorites is the Sixth Floor Museum's Living History series.  Imagine getting to hear real stories of history, first hand!  It is a great addition to the kids education and simply a joy to listen! 

Caleb volunteered at today's program, volunteering with their Youth Advisory Committee.   Today's guest speaker was Pan Am Stewardess Kari-Mette Pigmans.  Ms. Pigmans was a Pan Am stewardess aboard the White House press plane in the early 1960s and had met President Kennedy several times.  She was at Dallas Love Field at the time of the assassination.  She continued to work the White House press plane through several Presidents!   She shared amazing stories of what it was like aboard President Kennedy's White House press plane in 1963. 

Oh, that I had wings like a dove!

    I would fly away and be at rest
 Psalm 55:6

CSI Family Day at the Sixth Floor Museum

For all the aspiring crime scene investigators, today was their chance to learn modern investigative techniques at The Sixth Floor Museum’s CSI Day.  Caleb and other members of their Youth Advisory Committee assisted youth as they investigated a mock crime scene, read police reports, and performed forensic analysis at evidence stations. 

This was Caleb’s third year to work the event, it is the JFK’s partnerships with the Dallas Police Department, the University of North Texas Forensic Science Program, and UNT’s Forensic Science Club.  

Here's a look at the event from a 2012 post. 

Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good,

    and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.

21 

The wise of heart is called discerning,

    and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.

Proverbs 16:20-21

Sixth Floor Museum's Youth Advisory Committee on the Red Carpet

Lights, camera, action! The Sixth Floor Museum's Youth Advisory Committee walked the Red Carpet at Texas Black Film Festival. Their North Texas Student Oral History Challenge video premiered there this weekend at the new Studio Movie Grill!

Allen and Cynthia Mondell of Media Projects, Inc. came out on Saturday to support the Youth Advisory Committee's Oral History Challenge video premier at the Texas Black Film Festival.   The event also screened the Museum's new Legacy video that the Mondell's produced. Aftewards, Allen and Cynthia shared stories of their long relationship with the Museum and encouraged the young filmmakers in the audience to continue telling stories through film and video.

Get wisdom; get insight;  do not forget, 

and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.

Proverbs 4:5

JFK Living History - Eddie Griffin

As a part of Black History Month the Sixth Floor Museum’s Living History Series featured civil rights activist Eddie Griffin.  Mr. Griffin is known for his activities during the height of the Civil Rights Movement as an active member of the Black Panthers.  He was convicted of bank robbery and served 12 years in prison.   Mr. Griffin wrote “Breaking Men's Minds: Behavior Control and Human Experimentation at the Federal Prison in Marion,” a seven page article which appeared in the Journal of Prisoners on Prisons Vol. 4 No. 2 (1993). 

Griffin, former Fort Worth native was outside the then segregated Hotel Texas with the Kennedy’s arrived on November 21, 1963. He recalled memories of lining up along Commerce Street, waiting for the Kennedy's to arrive in Ft. Worth. He spoke of the yellow Christmas lights silhouetting the skyline making Ft. Worth visible from Air Force One.  Mr. Griffin told the audience he remains politically active as an AfroSpear Blogger. 

Click here to see our other adventures at the Sixth Floor Museum 

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Romans 12:17-18

Dallas Symphony's President John F. Kennedy Memorial Concert

Caleb and the other members of the Sixth Floor Museum's Youth Advisory Committee have prepared for the events surrounding the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy's assassination.  

Many of the kids participated in the JFK Day of Service at the the JFK Learning Center in Dallas.  This is the school where the kids have worked the last two years painting murals, and quotes on the wall.  Today they served organizing the library shelves and doing much needed service projects around the school.

Tonight several of the youth joined the Dallas Symphony Orchestra's Teen Council had a  rare opportunity to speak with Composer Conrad Tao before the Dallas Symphony's President John F. Kennedy Memorial Concert. Images of President Kennedy were shown above the ensemble in Dallas, playing Tao's, "The World if Very Different Now" at the Myerson Symphony Center.   Click HERE is the write up from the New York Times.  Click HERE to read the write up in the Dallas Morning News.

to them I will give within my temple and its walls

    a memorial and a name

    better than sons and daughters;

I will give them an everlasting name

    that will endure forever. Isaiah 56:5

JFK Living History - Newman Family

The Bill Newman family stopped by the Sixth Floor Museum today to a full audience for a Living History event.  The entire family was present including sons Clayton and Bill.  They shared their story of what they saw and heard on that fateful day on Dealey Plaza.

Mr. Newman has always maintained there were multiple shots from the direction of what we now refer to as the grassy knoll. In his Dallas Sheriff's Statement on Nov. 22, 1963 he said, "I thought the shot had come from the garden directly behind me, that was an elevation from where I was as I was right on the curb."

Caleb and other members of the Youth Advisory Committee acted as greeters and ushers for the sold out event.

The YouTube video is an interview in Dallas less than an hour after the horrific incident.

Parkland Movie

With the upcoming 50th anniversary of the assassination of President Kennedy, there are a lot of JFK books and movies hitting the market.  One of the most exciting projects is the  Parkland movie. 

It recounts the chaotic events that occurred in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963.  The movie connects ordinary individuals who were suddenly thrust into extraordinary circumstances.  With the Living History project that Caleb has worked on through the Sixth Floor Museum it was touching to see these unwilling heroes.  We've met some of the actual doctors, secret service agents, the men who guarded the President's body, all who never wanted this to be a part of their legacy.  

Yes it is a sad part of American History, but it is also a story of people who stepped up to do the right thing.  I think of Abraham Zapruder who's name would forever be attached to the video of the assassination of the President.   This was a man who was an immigrant that loved America and was excited to see the President of the United States.  His daughter tells that he would even have night mares of that fateful day. 

The movie is currently playing in a limited venue, we saw it at the Angelica  theater in Plano.  It will be released to DVD soon. Be sure to check it out, it is a reminder of the bad and the good in America! 

whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  Philippians 4:8

PBS American Experience: JFK Like No Other

October will mark the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy's assassination, the PBS American Experience biographers are releasing a JFK DVD in their Presidents collection.  Tonight a portion of the new film was shown at Studio Movie Grill in Dallas to an audience of PBS and their local affiliate KERA supporters along with several of our friends from the Sixth Floor Museum.  

The documentary begins with Kennedy's childhood including his sickly youth, progresses through his mediocre academics, his early political career as a lackluster congressman and subsequent successful run for senate.  The movie featured interview with two of Kennedy's sisters and include a lot of footage never before seen.  

The movie covers his run for President and reluctant selection of LBJ as a running mate, and their one quarter of one percent will for the Presidency.  Kennedy's sister tells the story of the family playing football the morning the election results were announced and their father telling everyone to come in because it was time for lunch.  Kennedy turns to his sister and jokes that he's being told to come eat his dinner by his father, doesn't he know I'm the President-elect!   

There was a Q & A with the Executive Director of PBS and the films Director.  They didn't really set out to unearth new, never released secrets, it was more and effort to combat the larger than life myths that have taken on their own life and depict an actual picture of the man.  

This four hour series will run on PBS November 11th & 12th and then be available on DVD.  I was born after the Kennedy assassination and have really enjoyed learning the history we have had access to through the Sixth Floor Museum.  I especially like that my children can have direct access to American History.  And regardless of your political affiliation when you can put a story of physical struggle, determination, ,and hard work in front of our children, that is always great.  The film does not omit Kennedy's silver spoon or his faults, but the overall tone is one of perseverance, hard work and determination.  

A lot of what is seen is this film is what the Sixth Floor Museum has really evolved into.  It is not a place to remember the assassination, but it is a place to remember a man's life and legacy.  

Sissy even joined us on tonight's outing, I'm thinking the bacon and cheese loaded french fries at Studio Movie Grill was the extra incentive needed.  I'm loving the selfie photos the kids took at the theater.  Caleb took the picture while I was chatting with other movie goers, how did he know Mom would want a picture? hmmm! 

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble,
whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy
—think about such things.

Philippians 4:8