Two Days in Texas

In the fall of 1963, President John F. Kennedy was gearing up for what was expected to be an intense reelection campaign the following year. Texas remained a crucial part of his agenda since the Massachusetts senator had only won the state by only 2% in 1960, making it one of the closest races in the country. Texas politics, however, had changed, thanks in part to Kennedy’s vocal support for civil rights, dividing the historically Democratic state into progressive and conservative factions. The state’s 24 electoral votes were vital to his reelection bid and, after months of planning, Kennedy embarked on a whirlwind trip to five Texas cities in just over two days. The scheduled visits to San Antonio, Houston, Fort Worth, Dallas and Austin on November 21-22 were intended to shore up political support and set the stage for a solid run in 1964. However, it was a trip tragically cut short by the assassination in Dallas on November 22, 1963. President Kennedy’s words and the connections he made with Texans in those last two days gained a powerful poignancy following his death. It elevated a routine state tour into a symbol of the hope and promise that his administration left behind. Arguably, those who saw him, shook his hand and waved at his motorcades in Texas felt a deeply personal link to the late president, heightening the sense of loss experienced by the nation and the world. These items were all featured in the special exhibit, "Two Days in Texas," November 8, 2023 to September 28, 2024 at The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza.