'JFK Was Here' banners put up in Dallas by Sixth Floor Museum to mark 60 years since JFK's assassination

DALLAS - Wednesday, November 22, 2023, marks 60 years since the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

He was gunned down during a visit in Dallas.

The Sixth Floor Museum is preparing a two-day commemoration of his life and legacy, and their bold banner campaign is getting a lot of attention. 

Those who drive through Dealey Plaza in Downtown Dallas have no doubt had to dodge the many people who go down to the area to take a picture where JFK was assassinated.

The Sixth Floor Museum is getting a lot of attention with a series of banners.

The "JFK Was Here" signs were put up by the Sixth Floor Museum ahead of the 60th anniversary of the assassination of then-president John F. Kennedy.

"We were talking about the signage coming in, talking about the parade route Mr. Kennedy was on in ‘63," Robert Benavides said.

The banners begin outside of Dallas Love Field Airport and follow the route of the presidential motorcade that fateful day.

Each one is accompanied by a historical photo taken near that area.

According to the museum's website, the intent of the placement along the Dallas motorcade route was to make passersby aware of the historical significance of these streets, seeking to connect the past to the present.

The campaign is being met with mixed reactions.

"Is this sadness what we should concentrate on, or should we concentrate on, yes, this was terrible, but look what good came from it," said Renee Schumacher, who is visiting from Georgia.

"He was a stepping stone to getting to where things are still changing. We still have a ways to go, but we've improved a lot," said Allen Schumacher, who is visiting from Georgia.

Jeffrey Engel is the director of the Center for Presidential History at Southern Methodist University.

"Of course Dallas, for many people, is always going to be associated with the assassination," he said.

Engel said Dallas will forever be associated with the JFK assassination, especially because the horrific incident in Dealey Plaza.

"This is important because when we see something, it becomes a part of our memory banks. different than if we just hear about it," he explained.

As far as the bold banners go, Engel said there's always going to be some people who dislike something.

Engel thinks the museum's campaign is pretty clever.

"I think what the Sixth Floor Museum did there is brilliant. Finding a different way to think about the history that they're there to represent, to think about the history of Dallas," he said.

Noah Benavides agrees.

"I just think it's important to acknowledge what happened anywhere," Benavides said.

The Sixth Floor Museum is planning what is calls "a compelling series of programs and events, as well as a special exhibition—Two Days in Texas."