Stanley Marcus Oral History
Object number1995.043.0021
Date07/11/1995
ClassificationsOral Histories
Oral history interview subject
Stanley Marcus
Oral history interviewer
Bob Porter
Oral history interviewer
Wes Wise
ObjectOral history
Credit LineOral History Collection/The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
MediumHi-8 videotape
Dimensions127 Minutes
Collections
DescriptionVideotaped oral history interview with Stanley Marcus. As a community leader and the late chairman emeritus of Neiman Marcus department stores, Mr. Marcus served as host to U.N. Ambassador Adlai Stevenson during his controversial visit to Dallas in October of 1963. As a member of the Dallas Citizens Council, he openly opposed President Kennedy's trip to Dallas in November out of concern for the president's safety.
Interview conducted at Mr. Marcus's office on July 11, 1995 by Wes Wise with Bob Porter. The interview is 2 hours and 7 minutes long.
Curatorial CommentaryMr. Marcus passed away on January 22, 2002. The Stanley Marcus Papers at the DeGolyer Library at Southern Methodist University include notes and correspondence related to Mr. Marcus's feelings following the Kennedy assassination. Included in this collection is an editorial Marcus wrote entitled "What's Right with Dallas" that ran in several national newspapers as part of a Neiman Marcus advertisement on January 1, 1964. The editorial was in direct response to the criticism that the city had suffered in the aftermath of the president's death. - Stephen Fagin, Curator
Dallas Police detective Jim Leavelle, the man in the light-colored suit escorting Lee Harvey Oswald when he was shot by Jack Ruby, was wearing a Neiman Marcus suit at the time (the hat, however, was manufactured by Resistol). The suit was given to Leavelle by a friend. - Gary Mack, Curator
SMU’s DeGolyer Library holds material related to Stanley Marcus’ printing of 500 bound editions of the speech that President Kennedy was scheduled to deliver at the Dallas Trade Mart the day he was assassinated. The library, which documents Marcus’ printing of the speech and the response, explains that “copies were sent to Marcus and Kennedy family, friends, and associates, with the very first given to Jacqueline Kennedy.” - Sharron Conrad, Curator of Education
