Bob Jackson Oral History

In 2025, thirty-two years after this oral history was recorded, Bob Jackson made a transformative gift to The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, donating his collection of photographic negatives, slides and prints covering his career as a staff photographer at the Dallas Times Herald from 1960 to 1978. The single largest photographic donation in the Museum's history, the Bob Jackson Collection provides an unprecedented visual exploration of the history and culture of Dallas during an important era of growth and transition. Bob's photography includes social activism, hard news, human interest, local sites, entertainment, sports, automotive, fashion and society, as well as visits by celebrities and dignitaries, including multiple U.S. presidents, John Wayne, Bob Hope, Bette Davis, Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco, and the Beatles. The Bob Jackson Collection totals more than 20,000 images and also includes 20 issues of the local publication Society Section, co-founded by Bob Jackson; cameras and photographic equipment; press badges and related ephemera; Jackson's Pulitzer Prize certificate; Jackson's subpoenas for the 1964 Jack Ruby trial; and a series of scrapbooks created by Bob's late mother to document her son's illustrious career. We are so honored to have the Bob Jackson Collection at The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza and very fortunate to consider Bob and Debbie Jackson great friends of our institution. - Stephen Fagin, Curator 

Exactly thirty-two years to the day after this 1993 oral history was recorded on the 30th anniversary of the Kennedy assassination, I was honored to join Bob in conversation for a public program to commemorate the 62nd anniversary of the assassination on November 22, 2025. That program may be viewed here: Dallas: Through the Lens of Bob Jackson. - Stephen Fagin, Curator 

Riding in the motorcade seven cars behind the president, Jackson carried two cameras.  One had a telephoto lens and the other had a wide-angle lens.  The press car, a convertible, was approaching the Texas School Book Depository along Houston Street when shots were fired.  Jackson looked up at the Book Depository and was one of the few who saw a rifle in the sixth floor corner window of the building.  Unfortunately for history, Jackson was unable to get a picture of the assassin in action.  The camera in his hands was out of film, and the one with the wide-angle lens was in his lap.  From his position, even a photo with the wide-angle lens wouldn't have shown much of anything, and in those few seconds the rifle was withdrawn and Jackson couldn't see anyone.  Despite many cameras in Dealey Plaza that day, no pictures are known to have shown the Depository window while shots were being fired. - Gary Mack, Curator

In addition to this 1993 oral history, Mr. Jackson  has participated in numerous programs at The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza over the years. - Stephen Fagin, Curator