Sixty years ago today, on November 22, 1963, John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, was assassinated while riding in a presidential motorcade through Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas, at approximately 12:30 pm. To commemorate the 60th Anniversary of his death, a display honoring the memory of JFK’s enduring legacy — and serving as a solemn reminder of the tragic event that occurred 60 years ago — will be on display at the Bellaire Public Library through March of 2024.
Among the exhibits that can be found on display at the Bellaire Public Library are original prints of The Times-Leader and Intelligencer newspapers across those grave 4 days in November 1963, as well as commemorative issues of Ladies Home Companion, National Geographic, TV Guide, and U.S. postage stamps donated by Shirrel Czap of Martins Ferry, Ohio.
Also, on display in the exhibit at the Bellaire Public Library, in memory of the life John F. Kennedy and wife Jaqueline, are photographs and items depicting a memorable visit from the Kennedys to the Ohio Valley. On June 27, 1959, JFK and Jackie made a stop in Bellaire to attend the 4th Annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner sponsored by the Belmont County Democratic Party. This past spring, the Bellaire Public Library had the honor of receiving a donated program from the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, autographed by JFK and Jackie. The program was owned by Anthony DeMarco, who was Mayor at the time of the Kennedy’s visit. This treasured piece of history was graciously donated by Anthony’s niece, Christine DeMarco of Bellaire.
Along with the dinner, held in the basement of St. John’s Church, were other festivities featuring Senator JFK and his wife, including a parade through downtown Bellaire and a visit to Imperial Glass by Mrs. Kennedy, where she received a ruby bell and green crackle tumbler. A replica of this tumbler, lent by National Imperial Glass Museum in Bellaire, can also be viewed in the display case next to a photograph of Mrs. Kennedy in the Imperial Glass display room.
JFK to this day ranks highly in the polls of U.S. presidents with historians and general public alike, and his 1959 visit to Bellaire has left an indelible mark on our community. In commemoration of John F. Kennedy’s death, Bellaire Public Library Board Member, Dr. Vincent Kolenich and former director, John Kniesner, read two articles from “In Memoriam: A Senseless Tragedy,” a special edition of the Saturday Evening Post published December 14, 1963. The first article, “A Death in Emergency Room No. One,” read by Dr. Kolenich, is an account of Dr. Malcom Perry, the physician tending to President Kennedy at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas on the day of the shooting. The second article, read by Mr. Kniesner, is eulogy written by Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., advisor to Kennedy’s 1960 presidential campaign and special assistant for Latin American affairs in the Kennedy administration. These readings may be viewed below.
We invite you to visit the exhibit at out Library honoring JFK’s life on the anniversary of his tragic death. This historical exhibition will be on display at the Bellaire Public Library from November 22, 2023 through the end of March 2024.
