William Cravens Oral History

Object number2023.001.0002

Date01/10/2023

ClassificationsOral Histories

Oral history interview subject William Cravens

Oral history interviewer Stephen Fagin

ObjectOral history

Credit LineOral History Collection/The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza

MediumBorn digital (.m2ts file)

DimensionsDuration: 27 Minutes

Terms

Collections

DescriptionVideotaped oral history interview with William Cravens. As a trombonist in the Eastern Hills High School Band, Cravens performed at the presidential breakfast at the Hotel Texas in Fort Worth on November 22, 1963. His late father also attended the breakfast as a member of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce. Nearly sixty years later, Cravens donated his trombone to The Sixth Floor Museum. Interview conducted at The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza on January 10, 2023 by Curator Stephen Fagin. The interview is twenty-seven minutes long.

Curatorial Commentary

Interestingly, in a collection that currently totals more than 90,000 objects, William Craven's trombone is - as of January 2023 - our only musical instrument. With his trombone, Cravens, as part of the Eastern Hills High School band, performed the last official rendition of "Hail to the Chief" that President Kennedy heard. There is, however, some debate regarding whether the president may have heard a later, unofficial performance of "Hail to the Chief" during his motorcade from the Hotel Texas to Carswell Air Force Base. There is photographic evidence that a Fort Worth school band - likely comprised of members of Castleberry High School, nearby Irma Marsh Junior High School or perhaps a combination of the two - was playing along the parade route near Carswell Air Force Base. Since no sound recording of this band's performance is known to exist, whether this group performed "Hail to the Chief" or another song as the presidential motorcade drove past remains unknown. That is why, at the Fort Worth breakfast, Eastern Hills High School is credited with the last "official" performance of "Hail to the Chief" for President Kennedy. -- Stephen Fagin, Curator