John Fitzgerald Kennedy Memorial facts for kids
The John Fitzgerald Kennedy Memorial is a special monument in downtown Dallas, Texas, USA. It was built in 1970 to honor John F. Kennedy, who was the President of the United States. A famous architect named Philip Johnson designed it.
John Fitzgerald Kennedy Memorial in Dallas (2014)
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| Coordinates | 32°46′43″N 96°48′23″W / 32.77861°N 96.80639°W |
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| Location | Dallas, Texas |
| Designer | Philip Johnson |
| Type | Cenotaph |
| Material | Concrete and granite |
| Length | 50 ft (15 m) |
| Width | 50 ft (15 m) |
| Height | 30 ft (9.1 m) |
| Beginning date | 1969 |
| Opening date | June 24, 1970 |
| Restored date | 2000 |
| Dedicated to | John F. Kennedy |
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Kennedy Memorial and Plaza
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U.S. National Historic Landmark District
Contributing Property |
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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| Significant dates | |
| Designated NHLDCP | April 19, 1993 |
| Designated CP | November 14, 1978 |
Contents
Memorial Design and Meaning
The John F. Kennedy Memorial was the first memorial designed by the famous American architect Philip Johnson. He was also a friend of the Kennedy family. Jacqueline Kennedy, President Kennedy's wife, approved the design.
Johnson described the memorial as "a place of quiet refuge." He wanted it to be a peaceful spot for thinking, separate from the busy city. The people of Dallas raised $200,000 for the memorial by August 1964. This money came from 50,000 individual donations by everyday citizens.
The Plaza Area
The memorial is a simple concrete structure. It sits in a block surrounded by Main, Record, Commerce, and Market Streets. This location is about 200 yards (180 m) east of Dealey Plaza. Dealey Plaza is the place where President Kennedy was assassinated.
This area is also known as the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Memorial Plaza. It is in downtown Dallas near the Historic West End district. Dallas County owns this important plaza.
The Cenotaph Structure
Philip Johnson's design is a cenotaph. A cenotaph is like an empty tomb. It symbolizes the freedom of Kennedy's spirit, meaning his ideas and legacy live on. The memorial is a square room without a roof. It is 30 feet (9.1 m) tall and 50 by 50 feet (15 by 15 m) wide. It has two narrow openings that face north and south.
The walls are made of 72 white concrete columns. Most of these columns stop about 29 inches (740 mm) above the ground. Eight columns, two in each corner, reach all the way to the ground. These act like legs supporting the monument. Each column has a light fixture at its end. At night, these lights make it look like the structure is floating on light. The corners and openings of this roofless room have rows of concrete circles. These circles are all the same and perfectly lined up. They add a round shape to the square design of the memorial.
The cenotaph sits on a low concrete hill. This hill has squares carved into it and is a bit higher than the street. Inside the memorial, there is a low block of dark granite. It is 8 feet (2.4 m) square and set into a shallow dip. The granite square has "John Fitzgerald Kennedy" carved in gold letters on its north and south sides. These gold letters catch the light from the white columns and the pale concrete floor. These three words are the only written message in the empty room.
The Special Message
Two dark granite squares are placed in the plaza around the memorial. Each is about 50 feet (15 m) from the narrow entrances to the cenotaph. They each have a special message carved into them. This message is called an epitaph. It was written by journalist Jim Lehrer.
The joy and excitement of
John Fitzgerald Kennedy's life belonged to all men.
So did the pain and sorrow of his death.
When he died on November 22, 1963, shock and
agony touched human conscience throughout the world.
In Dallas, Texas, there was a special sorrow.
The young President died in Dallas. The death
bullets were fired 200 yards west of this site.
This memorial, designed by Philip Johnson,
was erected by the people of Dallas. Thousands of
citizens contributed support, money and effort.
It is not a memorial to the pain and sorrow
of death, but stands as a permanent tribute to the joy
and excitement of one man's life.
John Fitzgerald Kennedy's life.
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John F. Kennedy Memorial
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Narrow openings north and south
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Inside the cenotaph
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Low granite square
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John Fitzgerald Kennedy Memorial Plaza in January 2016
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With visitors, for scale
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Plaza and granite marker
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History of the Memorial
Dallas County Judge Lew Sterrett first suggested building a monument to Kennedy on November 24, 1963. This was just two days after the assassination. On December 2, a formal plan was made. Judge Sterrett, Mayor Earle Cabell, and other Dallas citizens formed a committee.
Many people sent in ideas for the memorial. They received 260 ideas within a week. By February 1964, they had received 700 proposals.
Choosing the Design and Location
On February 22, 1964, the committee announced two memorials would be built. One would be at the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston. The other would be a "dignified and modest memorial" near where the assassination happened.
The location near the Old Red Courthouse was chosen in April 1964. The final spot was one block south of the original idea. Both areas were owned by Dallas County. They were being prepared as part of a new courthouse project. By September, the plan for the Kennedy Plaza included a green space with a simple marker.
Committee member Stanley Marcus asked Philip Johnson to design the memorial. Johnson agreed to do it for free. Johnson's design model was shown to the committee in December 1964. They hoped to have the memorial ready by November 1968. However, construction didn't start until 1969 because an underground parking garage was built first.
The memorial was finally dedicated on June 24, 1970. About 300 people attended the ceremony. Sargent Shriver, a member of the Kennedy family, visited the memorial in 1972.
Caring for the Memorial
In 1999, the memorial was damaged by graffiti. Later that year, The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza took over managing the memorial. They worked with Dallas County and the City of Dallas to restore it.
The Museum became the caretaker of the monument. They started a big project to fix and preserve the memorial. Philip Johnson, the original architect, helped guide the restoration. Many local companies donated their work, materials, and equipment. This helped bring the memorial back to its original beautiful state. In 2000, experts wrote an explanation of the memorial for the public.
Today, about 500,000 people visit the John F. Kennedy Memorial every year.
See also
In Spanish: Monumento conmemorativo de John Fitzgerald Kennedy para niños
