Eugene Boone and Gary Mack Gallery Talk Programs

To both commemorate the anniversary of the Kennedy assassination and acknowledge the opening of our special exhibit, "Voices from History: Dallas Law Enforcement," the Museum hosted a trio of daytime gallery talks on November 21, 2006 on the seventh floor. In addition to these programs with Curator Gary Mack and former Dallas County deputy sheriff Eugene Boone, I presented a talk on "Dallas Police versus the World Press," about how the news media covered the breaking news of the assassination, specifically in the crowded corridors of Dallas police headquarters. Both my program and Gary Mack's program were drawn from recent articles that we published in the Fall 2006 issue of Legacies Dallas History Journal. That issue, which includes additional articles related to the assassination, may be found online here: Legacies: A History Journal for Dallas and North Central Texas, Volume 18, Number 2, Fall, 2006 - The Portal to Texas History. Previously, Gary and I presented these same programs at the 2006 Legacies Dallas History Conference. Our third speaker, Eugene Boone, developed his own program, even preparing his own A/V content. He had given this presentation at other venues prior to this presentation at The Sixth Floor Museum. - Stephen Fagin, Curator

Gary Mack passed away on July 15, 2015 at the age of 68. Mack developed a research interest in the Kennedy assassination in the 1970s and, after a career in broadcasting as an announcer, camera operator and producer, joined the Museum's staff in 1994 as archivist. He was named curator in 2000. One month after his passing, the Museum held this memorial tribute program: Gary Mack Memorial Tribute. - Stephen Fagin, Curator

A longtime friend of the Museum, Eugene Boone passed away on October 28, 2017. He participated in the Museum's inaugural audio tour, produced by Antenna, recorded in 1988 and available on the Museum's opening day of February 20, 1989. Following that, he first recorded an oral history with the Museum in 2003: Eugene Boone Oral History – Search Eugene Boone (Objects) – Search – The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza. In addition to a follow-up oral history recorded in 2014, Boone participated in a number of programs and events at the Museum, including Living History public programs in 2008 (Eugene Boone Living History Program – Search Eugene Boone (Objects) – Search – The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza) and 2014 (Living History with Eugene Boone - YouTube) and a panel discussion with eyewitnesses at the 50th anniversary in 2013 (JFK Assassination 50th Anniversary Media Open House - Eyewitness Panel - YouTube). - Stephen Fagin, Curator 

The seventh floor exhibit, "Voices from History: Dallas Law Enforcement," was on view at The Sixth Floor Museum from November 2006 to October 2007. Drawing from the Museum's Oral History Collection, the exhibit featured narratives from Dallas police and sheriff's deputies who were part of the Kennedy assassination aftermath and investigation, complemented by photographs, video and artifacts from the Museum's Collection. - Stephen Fagin, Curator