JFK Assassination 1963 | The Day America Changed Forever On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated while riding in a motorcade through Dallas, Texas. The gunfire that struck him shocked the nation and ended a presidency defined by youthful optimism and global ambition. Within hours, Americans were in mourning, the world was watching, and a single moment of violence became one of the most defining and haunting events in modern U.S. history. JFK assassination 1963, John F. K

In 1960, the first televised presidential debate between JFK and Nixon changed TV and politics forever. Watch "Race for the White House" at 10p ET for more on how JFK and Nixon got ready for their close-ups. (Cartoon by CNN State of the Union's Jake Tapper) http://cnn.it/21PEjVK | CNN

Five decades after his assassination, JFK has given his final speech | The Times and The Sunday Times