L. C. Graves Oral History
Object number1994.007.0003
Date03/02/1994
ClassificationsOral Histories
Oral history interview subject
L. C. Graves
Oral history interviewer
Wes Wise
Oral history interviewer
Bob Porter
ObjectOral history
Credit LineOral History Collection/The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
MediumHi-8 videotape
Dimensions61 Minutes
Collections
DescriptionVideotaped oral history interview with L. C. Graves. A Dallas Police detective in the Homicide and Robbery Bureau, Mr. Graves was walking on Lee Harvey Oswald's left side when Oswald was shot on November 24, 1963.
Interview conducted at Mr. Graves' home on March 2, 1994 by Wes Wise with Bob Porter. The interview is one hour and one minute long.
The video attached to this record is an excerpt. The entire interview is available in our Reading Room to on-site researchers or by submitting a Rights & Reproductions Request Form.
Curatorial CommentaryMr. Graves passed away on February 11, 1995. Students and researchers who have accessed this recording over the years never fail to point out the rather unfortunate clash of patterns between the wallpaper and Mr. Graves' shirt. I have regularly used this interview during oral history workshops, and during a session at the 2010 Oral History Association annual conference, as part of a larger discussion on the importance of backdrops, lighting, camera angles and communication with the partipant in advance of the interview. - Stephen Fagin, Curator
The suit of clothes Detective Graves was wearing at the time of the Oswald shooting was featured in the Museum's exhibition, Dallas Law Enforcement: Voices From History, from November 2006 through October 2007. The suit was donated to the City of Dallas by the detective's widow and borrowed by the Museum to be included in the exhibit. - Megan Bryant, Director of Collections & Intellectual Property
