Arrival at Love Field
At 11:40 a.m. CST on November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, and their official party arrived at Love Field in Dallas, Texas, to begin the second day of a 5-month pre-planned Texas trip. The itinerary was organized by the President, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, and Texas Governor John B. Connally Jr., with prior stops that day in San Antonio (where the President dedicated U.S. Air Force aerospace medicine research facilities) and Fort Worth (where he addressed a large morning breakfast gathering). Remaining scheduled events included a downtown Dallas motorcade, a luncheon speech at the Trade Mart, and a flight to Austin for a Democratic fundraising dinner, with a final stop at the Vice President’s Texas ranch planned after the Austin event.
Motorcade Planning
The Dallas motorcade was added to the trip to let the President connect with voters in a city he had lost in the 1960 presidential election, with planning led primarily by Governor Connally and presidential special assistant Kenneth O’Donnell. The Secret Service was notified on November 8 that 45 minutes had been allocated for the motorcade from Love Field to the Trade Mart, the selected luncheon site chosen for its suitable security features and event capacity. The route was designed to maximize public access to the President, approved by local host committees and White House representatives on November 18, and publicized in local newspapers starting November 19, with advance notices confirming the motorcade would turn from Main Street onto Elm Street via Houston Street to reach the Stemmons Freeway and Trade Mart.
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