Sept. 2, 2013

Local collector to share Kennedy assassination literature at museum

By SCOTT WRIGHT

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CENTRE —  Cherokee County Historical Museum Director David Crum last week announced a local collector and historian will allow the exhibit of his collection of literature related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy at the museum this fall.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the president’s tragic death in Dallas, Texas.

Crum said Friday in a short press release that the local resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, will loan over a hundred pieces of printed materials—including magazines, newspapers and photographs—to the museum for display throughout November.

Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald on Nov. 22, 1963 while riding in a motorcade through downtown Dallas. Texas Gov. John Connally was also shot in the attack but survived.

Two days later, Oswald was shot and killed on national TV by Jack Ruby in the basement parking garage of the Dallas police station.

Conspiracy theorists have for decades questioned the official government account of the killings – that Oswald acted alone and Ruby acted impulsively out of compassion for the president’s widow.

Crum said the pieces from the private local collection have been maintained for nearly five decades.

“After two official government investigations, the Jim Garrison trial in New Orleans, and an act of Congress requiring the release and public access to all remaining files held by investigative agencies, over 800 books, newspapers and magazine articles have been published directly related to the events surrounding the assassination,” Crum said.

Crum said many of the pieces in the collection are unique, a result of this flood of assassination-related material.

“This will be a onetime event at the museum and will not be repeated ,” Crum said.

Crum said the exhibit at the Historial Museum on Main Street in Centre will begin Nov. 11 and continue through Nov. 29. For more information call 256-927-7835 or visit the museum’s website at www.museumatcentre.com.