By: History.com Editors

1963

JFK buried at Arlington National Cemetery

History.com Editors

JFK Funeral

Getty Images

Published: February 09, 2010

Last Updated: March 13, 2025

Three days after his assassination in Dallas, Texas, John F. Kennedy is laid to rest with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, was shot to death while riding in an open-car motorcade with his wife and Texas Governor John Connally through the streets of downtown Dallas. Ex-Marine and communist sympathizer Lee Harvey Oswald was the alleged assassin. Kennedy was rushed to Dallas’ Parkland Hospital, where he was pronounced dead 30 minutes later. He was 46.

Vice President Lyndon Johnson, who was three cars behind President Kennedy in the motorcade, was sworn in as the 36th president of the United States less than two hours later. He took the presidential oath of office aboard Air Force One as it sat on the runway at Dallas Love Field airport. The swearing in was witnessed by some 30 people, including Jacqueline Kennedy, who was still wearing clothes stained with her husband’s blood. Seven minutes later, the presidential jet took off for Washington.

JFK Funeral Newsreel

People around the world mourn the death of the thirty-fifth president of the United States, John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

The next day, November 23, President Johnson issued his first proclamation, declaring November 25 to be a day of national mourning for the slain president. On that day, hundreds of thousands of people lined the streets of Washington to watch a horse-drawn caisson bear Kennedy’s body from the Capitol Rotunda to St. Matthew’s Catholic Cathedral for a requiem Mass. The solemn procession then continued on to Arlington National Cemetery, where 19 heads of state and government, including French President Charles de Gaulle, as well as representatives from 92 other nations gathered for the state funeral. Kennedy was buried with full military honors on a slope below Arlington House, where an eternal flame was lit by his widow to forever mark the grave.

Timeline

Also on This Day in History

Discover more of the major events, famous births, notable deaths and everything else history-making that happened on November 25th

1783

Last British soldiers leave New York

On November 25, 1783, nearly three months after the Treaty of Paris was signed ending the American Revolution, the last British soldiers withdraw from New York City, the last British military position in the former Thirteen Colonies. After the last Redcoat departed New York, U.S. General George Washington entered the city in triumph to the […]

1876

U.S. Army retaliates for the Little Bighorn defeat

U.S. troops under the leadership of General Ranald Mackenzie destroy the village of Cheyenne living with Chief Dull Knife on the headwaters of the Powder River. The attack was in retaliation against some of the Native Americans who had participated in the killing of Custer and his men at the Little Bighorn. Although the Sioux […]

1950

“Storm of the century” hits eastern U.S.

The so-called “storm of the century” hits the eastern part of the United States, killing hundreds and causing millions of dollars in damages, on November 25, 1950. Also known as the “Appalachian Storm,” it dumped record amounts of snow in parts of the Appalachian Mountains. Forming over North Carolina just before Thanksgiving, the storm quickly […]

1952

“The Mousetrap” opens in London

“The Mousetrap,” a murder-mystery written by the novelist and playwright Agatha Christie, opens at the Ambassadors Theatre in London. The crowd-pleasing whodunit would go on to become the longest continuously running play in history. When “The Mousetrap” premiered in 1952, Winston Churchill was British prime minister, Joseph Stalin was Soviet ruler and Harry Truman was […]

1959

The Birdman of Alcatraz asks a court to set him free

On November 25, 1959, four months after being released from 43 years of solitary confinement and transferred to the mainland from the penitentiary on Alcatraz island, Robert Stroud, the famous “Birdman of Alcatraz,” asks a federal judge to set him free. Stroud gained widespread fame and attention when author Thomas Gaddis wrote a biography that […]

This Day In History: The Birdman of Alcatraz, Robert Stroud, is allowed a small taste of freedom, November 23, 1959

1960

Mirabal sisters assassinated by Trujillo regime

On November 25, 1960, a car carrying three Dominican political dissidents, the Mirabal sisters, is stopped as they travel to visit a prison where two of their husbands are being held. Members of the Dominican Republic’s secret police, including the alleged “right-hand man” of dictator Rafael Trujillo, beat the sisters and their driver to death, […]

1970

Japanese author Yukio Mishima dies by suicide

World-renowned Japanese writer Yukio Mishima dies by suicide after failing to win public support for his often extreme political beliefs. Born in 1925, Mishima was obsessed with what he saw as the spiritual barrenness of modern life. He preferred prewar Japan, with its austere patriotism and traditional values, to the materialistic, westernized nation that arose […]

1986

Iran-Contra connection revealed

Three weeks after a Lebanese magazine reported that the United States had been secretly selling arms to Iran, Attorney General Edwin Meese reveals that proceeds from the arms sales were illegally diverted to the anti-communist Contras in Nicaragua. On November 3, the Lebanese magazine Ash Shiraa reported that the United States had been secretly selling […]

1990

Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge sinks to the bottom of Lake Washington

After a howling wind- and rainstorm on Thanksgiving Day, Washington state’s historic floating Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge breaks apart and sinks to the bottom of Lake Washington, between Seattle and its suburbs to the east. Because the bridge’s disintegration happened relatively slowly, news crews were able to capture the whole thing on camera, broadcasting […]

2000

First International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

After passing a resolution earlier in the year, the United Nations General Assembly recognizes the first International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on November 25, 2000. The resolution, which was introduced by the Dominican Republic, marked the anniversary of the death of three sisters, Patria, Minerva and María Teresa Mirabal, who were […]

Related Articles

See All Articles
Presidential Campaign Slogans That Fell Flat
U.S. Presidents

6 Presidential Campaign Slogans That Fell Flat

Political campaign slogans haven't always caught on. In fact, some have proven odd or embarrassing.

8 Ways Past U.S. Presidents Handled the Peaceful Transfer of Power
U.S. Presidents

8 Ways Past US Presidents Handled the Peaceful Transfer of Power

Presidential transitions through U.S. political history have ranged from smooth to awkward to adversarial.

Franklin D. Roosevelt seated behind a microphone
U.S. Presidents

7 of FDR’s Most Inspiring Speeches

Roosevelt, known as 'the great communicator,' used his speeches and fireside chats to calm Americans’ fears—and to rally them around his policies.

A 1884 cartoon depicting Grover Cleveland, titled, “Another Voice for Cleveland."
U.S. Presidents

5 Presidential Scandals in American History

From adulterous affairs yielding secret children to hotel break-ins and secret gun deals, scandal has always followed American politicians.

See All Articles

About the author

History.com Editors

HISTORY.com works with a wide range of writers and editors to create accurate and informative content. All articles are regularly reviewed and updated by the HISTORY.com team. Articles with the “HISTORY.com Editors” byline have been written or edited by the HISTORY.com editors, including Amanda Onion, Missy Sullivan, Matt Mullen and Christian Zapata.

Fact Check

We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate.

Citation Information

Article title
JFK buried at Arlington National Cemetery
Website Name
History
Date Accessed
March 26, 2025
Publisher
A&E Television Networks
Last Updated
March 13, 2025
Original Published Date
February 09, 2010

History Every Day

Sign Up for "This Day in History"

Uncover fascinating moments from the past every day! Learn something new with key events in history, from the American Revolution to pop culture, crime and more.

By submitting your information, you agree to receive emails from HISTORY and A+E Global Media. You can opt out at any time. You must be 16 years or older and a resident of the United States.

More details: Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Contact Us