A newly discovered 8mm home movie capturing the frantic moments after President John F. Kennedy was shot in Dallas on November 22, 1963, will be auctioned later this month, CBS News reports.
The footage, shot by Dale Carpenter Sr., shows the motorcade speeding down Interstate 35 toward Parkland Memorial Hospital, where Kennedy would later be pronounced dead. It begins with Carpenter, who missed the presidential limousine, capturing other vehicles in the motorcade traveling down Lemmon Avenue.
The footage from I-35, lasting about 10 seconds, offers a harrowing glimpse into the aftermath of the assassination. It shows Secret Service Agent Clint Hill, who famously leaped onto the back of the limousine after the shots were fired, standing over President Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, whose pink suit is clearly visible.
“This is remarkable, in color, and you can feel the 80 mph,” said Bobby Livingston, executive vice president of RR Auction, which will be offering the film in Boston on September 28.
The film, which was discovered by Carpenter’s grandson, James Gates, in 2010, adds a chilling new dimension to the events of that day. Gates, who was unaware of the footage’s existence, was stunned to discover it among a box of family films.
The footage offers a rare glimpse of the events immediately following the assassination, further stressing the chaotic and desperate scene that unfolded as the motorcade raced towards the hospital.
Experts say the discovery of such footage is not surprising, as film and photos from significant historical events often resurface decades later. Stephen Fagin, curator at The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, notes that these artifacts are often rediscovered in attics, garages, or other unexpected places.
