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Letter from editor Felix McKnight to staff of the Dallas Times Herald
Letter from editor Felix McKnight to staff of the Dallas Times Herald

Letter from editor Felix McKnight to staff of the Dallas Times Herald

Object number1996.003.0001
Date11/22/1963
ClassificationsDocuments
Author
ObjectLetter
Credit LineJohn Schoellkopf Collection/The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
MediumPaper
Dimensions8 1/2 x 5 1/2 in. (21.6 x 14 cm)
Collections
  • "On Assignment: Dallas Times Herald 1963"
  • All Online Objects
DescriptionLetter written by editor Felix McKnight to his staff at the Dallas Times Herald newspaper at the end of the day on Friday, November 22, 1963. The letter is typed on personal stationery with blue and orange borders and the name "Felix R. McKnight" printed in the top left corner, signed in blue ink. Full text of the letter: "Nov. 22 To The Staff: Today you performed superbly. No other newspaper in this country could have done a better job within the severe time limitations. All of you took difficult assignments and came through without faltering. It is a sad day. I do not know what to say to you, except that there should be no pride in a story such as this...except for the professional manner in which you labored with the same feeling of numbness that I had. We must handle this story with the best of taste the next few days. We are sort of on trial because it happened in our city. Thank you for being the wonderful people you are. Felix McKnight (signature)"
Curatorial Commentary
This object is featured in the Museum's special exhibit, "On Assignment: Dallas Times Herald 1963," which opened on April 29, 2026.
This unique artifact has been featured in two temporary exhibits at The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza: "Covering Chaos" (June 2005 to January 2006) and "A Photographer's Story: Bob Jackson and the Kennedy Assassination" (February 2009 to October 2010). - Stephen Fagin, Curator
The Museum's John Schoellkopf Collection includes a number of typed notes and draft stories from November 22, 1963, as well as newspaper proofs, a pencil mock-up of the intended front page and other Dallas Times Herald documents related to the weekend of the Kennedy assassination. John L. Schoellkopf (1938-2018) had a remarkable career at the Dallas Times Herald, starting out as an intern while attending Southern Methodist University in 1957. By the time he left journalism in 1970 for a career in business, farming and politics, he had risen to become the Dallas Times Herald vice president of administration. At the time of the Kennedy assassination in 1963, he was the paper's assistant city editor. Schoellkopf later ran for Dallas mayor and served on the board of a number of organizations including the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, Dallas Theater Center and the Texas State Historical Association. Schoellkopf recorded an oral history with The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza on June 11, 1996. - Stephen Fagin, Curator