On 22nd November 1963 at approximately 12.30pm CST, the world changed forever.
President John F. Kennedy, the popular and progressive US Cold War leader, was assassinated in broad daylight. Television replayed the tragic event across the globe.
Democrat Kennedy had been in Dallas on the campaign trail, hoping to ease tensions in the traditionally Republican stronghold. His presidency was on the up after pulling the US from the brink of nuclear war with the Soviet Union. Kennedy had hopes for a second term in office.
Parading through Dealey Plaza in downtown Dallas, the atmosphere was celebratory. Crowds cheered jubilantly as President Kennedy and his wife, Jackie, drove past in their open-top Lincoln Continental. Just moments later, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.
60 years on from this fatal tragedy, the National Geographic channel’s award-winning franchise, One Day in America, returns with JFK: One Day in America, exploring the historic event in heart-wrenching detail.
This exclusive three-part limited series chronicles the critical hours from President Kennedy’s arrival in Dallas to his assassination and the hunt for suspected murderer, Lee Harvey Oswald. Offering insight into a moment that shook the world, the series presents a whirlwind of emotion as shock and confusion gives way to fear and panic.
Never-before-seen colourised footage and exclusive testimony
The series uses never-before-seen colourised footage and the testimony of witnesses who were on the ground as it happened, including secret service agents, reporters, and police. Interviewees include Clint Hill, the secret service agent who famously leapt onto President Kennedy’s car in a bid to save him and Jackie from the oncoming bullet; White House correspondent Sid Davis, who witnesses vice-president Lyndon B. Johnson’s oaths on Air Force One; and Gayle and Bill Newman, the closest living witnesses to the shooting. Six decades older, this may be some of the witnesses’ last chance to share their stories.
JFK: One Day in America is the second series in the One Day in America franchise, following the successful 9/11: One Day in America, which received an Emmy for Outstanding Historical Documentary in 2022. Critics praised the show’s dedication to detail and its immersive recreation of a devastating snapshot in time.
Following in 9/11: One Day in America’s footsteps, JFK: One Day in America premieres with a double bill on Sunday 5th November at 9pm and 10pm, before the series concludes in gripping fashion on Monday 6th November at 9pm. Available to watch on the National Geographic channel (Sky 129 and Virgin Media 183).