Cynthia Smith-Kelly Oral History
Object number2022.001.0051
Date07/27/2022
ClassificationsOral Histories
Oral history interview subject
Cynthia Smith-Kelly
Oral history interviewer
Stephen Fagin
ObjectOral history
Credit LineOral History Collection/The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
MediumBorn digital (.m4a file), Born digital (.mp4 file), Born digital (.vtt file)
DimensionsDuration: 28 Minutes
Terms
- Interviews
- Oral histories
- Press
- Motorcade
- Main Street
- Assassination
- Anniversary
- Trade Mart luncheon
- Student
- Anniversary
- Reporter
- Television
- Johnson, Lyndon B.
- Dallas Trade Mart
- Dallas
- Kansas City
- Childhood Recollections (OHC)
- Motorcade Spectators (OHC)
- Dallas Trade Mart (OHC)
- News Media (OHC)
- History of 411 Elm Street and The Sixth Floor Museum (OHC)
- Dallas and 1960s History and Culture (OHC)
DescriptionVideotaped oral history interview with Cynthia Smith-Kelly. A Dallas ninth grader in 1963, Smith-Kelly observed the Kennedy motorcade on Main Street. Inspired by assassination news coverage to become a broadcast journalist, in 1983 she covered the 20th anniversary of the assassination for WDAF-TV in Kansas City, Missouri. Smith-Kelly’s late mother, Marquita Smith, attended the Dallas Trade Mart luncheon and saved a bottle of club soda that was later donated to the Museum.
Interview conducted via Zoom on July 27, 2022 by Stephen Fagin. The interview is twenty-eight minutes long.
Curatorial CommentaryCynthia Smith-Kelly's brother, Craig Smith, also recorded an oral history with the Museum in 2022. The bottle of club soda discussed during this interview may be found here: https://emuseum.jfk.org/objects/73313. - Stephen Fagin, Curator
