The 60th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy was marked with various ceremonies and reflections across the United States. In Springfield, Massachusetts, a ceremony was held at the eternal flame in Forest Park, one of only two in the nation dedicated to Kennedy. Congressman Richard Neal, Mayor Domenic Sarno, and other dignitaries placed a wreath at the flame and spoke about Kennedy's legacy.
The anniversary also revived memories for some individuals closely connected to the event. Ruth Hyde Paine, a resident of Sonoma County, recalled her interactions with Lee Harvey Oswald, the man accused of assassinating JFK. In 1963, Paine had rented a room in her Texas home to Marina Nikolayevna Oswald, Oswald's wife. Paine's discovery of Oswald's rifle in her garage and her subsequent questioning by the Warren Commission were also remembered.
Peggy Simpson, a former Associated Press reporter who was one of the first on the scene of the assassination, shared her experiences. Now 84, Simpson is among the last surviving witnesses of the event. Her recollections, along with those of others, were featured in a three-part series from National Geographic titled 'JFK: One Day in America'.
Despite the passage of six decades, mysteries surrounding JFK's assassination persist. The unclear motives of Lee Harvey Oswald, the confirmed lone gunman, have led to the proliferation of conspiracy theories. The withholding of certain documents related to the assassination continues to fuel these theories, highlighting the enduring impact of this event on American history.