Marie Muchmore facts for kids

Marie M. Muchmore (born August 5, 1909 – died April 26, 1990) was a key witness to a very sad event in American history. She was present when John F. Kennedy, the President of the United States, was assassinated. This happened in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963. Marie Muchmore filmed this moment with her 8 mm camera. Her film is one of the most important records of the assassination. It helped investigators understand what happened.

Early Life and Family

Marie Muchmore was born Marie Mobley in Ardmore, Oklahoma. Her mother was a member of the Chickasaw Nation. This is a Native American tribe. Marie had a sister named Tessie Mobley. Tessie became a famous opera singer. Marie Muchmore did not have any children of her own.

Filming a Key Moment

In 1963, Marie Muchmore worked for a dress company in Dallas. On November 22, 1963, she was in Dealey Plaza. This is a public park area in Dallas. She was there with five co-workers. They wanted to watch the President's motorcade pass by. Marie had her 8 mm Keystone home movie camera with her. She stood near a street corner to get a good view.

The Famous Film

Marie Muchmore's film shows seven different parts of that day. Six parts were filmed before the assassination. One part was filmed during the shooting. She started filming the President's cars as they turned onto Houston Street. Then, she walked a short distance to film the President's car again. This time, the car was going down Elm Street. Her camera then captured the fatal shot to President Kennedy's head. She was about 138 feet (42 meters) away. The film ends a few seconds later. It shows a Secret Service agent named Clint Hill. He was trying to protect the President. He ran and climbed onto the moving car.

What Happened Next

Marie Muchmore sold her undeveloped film to United Press International. This was a news agency. She sold it on November 25, 1963, for $1,000. The film was developed by Kodak in Dallas. Then, it was flown to New York City. It was shown on local television the very next day. Today, the film belongs to the Associated Press Television News. They restored it in 2002.

Marie Muchmore told her family about the film. Her family then told the FBI. The FBI first talked to Marie in December 1963. At that time, she said she had a camera but denied filming the assassination. The FBI did not know about the film until a picture from it was published. This happened in a book in January 1964. The FBI interviewed her again in February 1964. Marie Muchmore said that she heard a loud noise. She first thought it was a firecracker. Then, she heard two more noises like gunshots. People started running everywhere. She said she began to run to find a place to hide.

See also

In Spanish: Marie Muchmore para niños