President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963, at 12:30 p.m. while riding in a motorcade in Dallas during a campaign visit. Kennedy’s motorcade was turning past the Texas School Book Depository at Dealey Plaza with crowds lining the streets—when shots rang out. The driver of the president’s Lincoln limousine, with its top off, raced to nearby Parkland Memorial Hospital, but after being shot in the neck and head, Kennedy was pronounced dead at 1 p.m. He was 46 years old.

 

1963 was a significant year in history, marked by several notable events. Here are some of the most important events that occurred in that year:

• January 1 - The United States and South Vietnam sign the "Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement," which commits the U.S. to providing military aid to South Vietnam.
• June 11 - Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc immolates himself in protest against the Vietnamese government's persecution of Buddhists.
• August 28 - The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom takes place, culminating in Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "I Have a Dream" speech.
• November 22 - U.S. President John F. Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, Texas.
• December 10 - The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded jointly to the International Committee of the Red Cross and the League of Red Cross Societies.

 

Other notable events in 1963 include the release of the first James Bond film, "Dr. No," the debut of the television series "Doctor Who," and the opening of the first Wal-Mart store.