The assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas was a turning point in the course of our lives and in our century. This is due not only to the death of a national leader but also to the means by which Americans -- and people around the world -- were able to watch the tragedy play itself out before their very eyes.

At this moment, the medium of television emerged as a powerful tool in our civilization. It held the world in a trance as news of JFK's death unfolded on a cold Friday. It then showed us live the murder of accused assassin Lee Harvey Oswald two days later -- the first great televised theater. The medium then gave the world a front row seat to the stately funeral procession that crept down the streets of Washington the following Monday.

Television branded the event forever in our minds.

Kennedy was in Texas laying the groundwork for his 1964 re-election bid. His popularity was waning in the Lone Star State, and the swing south was considered vital to his chances the following year.

His motorcade moved through Dallas at about midday. At about 12:30 p.m., a gunshot shattered the exuberant scene and Kennedy, according to eyewitnesses, stiffened and swayed forward. A second shot then ripped into his skull, and he collapsed into the lap of his wife. The shots came from the Texas School Book Depository, which overlooked the scene.

Kennedy's limousine was rushed to Parkland Memorial Hospital, where he was officially pronounced dead at about 1 p.m. CST.

The news stunned the world. People were reported weeping openly in the streets of other countries. Many schools and businesses across this nation closed down in mourning. (However, the feeling of sadness was not universal. Some school children in Dallas actually cheered when they received word of Kennedy's death in their own city.)

The drama, of course, did not end there. Two days later, Oswald, who was connected with the pro-Castro Fair Play to Cuba Committee, was gunned down while being transferred to another jail. The assailant was nightclub owner Jack Ruby.

The assassination transformed Kennedy's legacy far beyond either what he had done or what he had yet to achieve. Many of his social and economic programs had stalled in Congress, although he did manage to pass the first minimum wage increase in years. His most notable social accomplishments were realized only after his death. His foreign policy achievements were varied, ranging from the Bay of Pigs fiasco to the Cuban missile crisis, from the Peace Corps to Vietnam. Notably, he was able to sign a landmark atmospheric nuclear test ban treaty with the Soviet Union.

Kennedy's towering place in our hearts and our history is due more to what he stood for than what he actually accomplished. He had challenged America to boldly reach for the stars, and the nation realized that vision in 1969 with the first manned landing on the moon. His quest for social reform led to the "Great Society" legislation that was a centerpiece of 1960s social programs. His vitality, more than his deeds, symbolized the spirit of the nation and the mood of the moment.

Likewise, his death inflicted a pain that is still felt by many to this day.