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Image of Governor Connally's blood-spattered hat hanging in Jesse Curry's office
Image of Governor Connally's blood-spattered hat hanging in Jesse Curry's office

Image of Governor Connally's blood-spattered hat hanging in Jesse Curry's office

Object number1994.003.0016.0002
Date11/22/1963
ClassificationsPhotographs
Photographer Tom C. Dillard
ObjectNegative (b&w)
Credit LineTom C. Dillard Collection, The Dallas Morning News/The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
MediumFilm
Dimensions2 1/4 x 2 1/4 in. (5.7 x 5.7 cm)
Collections
DescriptionOriginal black and white 35mm negative by Dallas Morning News chief photographer Tom Dillard. The image shows several coats and hats on a rack in Chief Jesse Curry's office at Dallas police headquarters in downtown Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963. One of the hats is Texas Governor John Connally's blood-spattered Stetson cowboy hat, which he was holding at the time of the assassination.
Curatorial Commentary
Dallas Police Chief Jesse Curry returned to Dallas police headquarters around 4:00 p.m. on November 22, 1963, after witnessing the swearing-in of Lyndon Johnson aboard Air Force One at Dallas Love Field. No one knows exactly when and how Curry ended up with the blood-stained hat that Texas Governor John Connally held in his lap during the Dallas motorcade, but Curry had it hanging on a rack in his office when Dallas Morning News chief photographer Tom Dillard arrived with his camera sometime after 8:30 p.m. In addition to this photograph, Dillard took a series of images of Chief Curry seated at his desk. - Stephen Fagin, Curator