About the Oral History Project

The Oral History Project explores the life, death and legacy of President John F. Kennedy and the history and culture of the 1960s. A multi-year collecting initiative, the Oral History Project seeks to capture first-person accounts of those who have lived through or been otherwise impacted by history.

More than 2,000 oral histories have been recorded since the inception of the program and cover a range of topics including:

• 1960 Presidential campaign
• Abraham Zapruder film
• Artists
• Authors, filmmakers and researchers
• Chicano history and culture
• Childhood recollections
• Civil Rights and social activism 
• Cold War/Communism 
• Community leaders
• Cuba
• Dallas and the 1960s history and culture

• Dallas Trade Mart
• Dealey Plaza eyewitnesses
• Fort Worth
• History of 411 Elm St. and the Museum
• Jack Ruby
• Kennedy Collectors
• Kennedy Family acquaintances
• Kennedy funeral
• Law enforcement
• Lee Harvey Oswald
• Love Field

• Motorcade spectators
• News media
• Non-rememberers 
• Parkland Memorial Hospital
• Peace Corps
• Popular culture 
• Rail yards in Dealey Plaza
• Space program
• Vietnam
• White House and state officials


A complete list of oral histories can be viewed here. For more information, please contact us at oralhistory@jfk.org.


How to Participate

If you have memories of President Kennedy and the assassination or reflections of significant events and social movements of the 1960s, please consider adding your unique perspective to this remarkable collection of “living history.” Please contact the Museum at oralhistory@jfk.org.


Request Access for Research

Digital A/V files and, when possible, PDF transcripts, are available via file-sharing for personal research and reference. Individual interviews may be requested via our Rights and Reproductions Request form.

Oral History FAQs