In addition to records already open at NARA prior to the passing the Kennedy Act, the Collection now consists of previously withheld records of the Warren Commission, records of the Office of the Archivist, and newly released materials from the Kennedy, Johnson, and Ford Presidential Libraries. Other agency records in the Collection include records of the House Select Committee on Assassinations, records of the Central Intelligence Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and a small amount of material from a variety of other agencies, including the Office of Naval Intelligence. The Collection now includes over five million pages of records.
With a very few exceptions, virtually all of the records identified as belonging to the Kennedy Collection have been opened in part or in full. Those documents that are closed in full or in part were done so in accordance with the Kennedy Act, mentioned above. According to the Act, no record could be withheld in part or in full, without the agreement of the ARRB. The guidelines for withholding records are outlined in the provisions in Section 6 of the Act. The full report of the ARRB is available online. A copy of the Act is in Appendix C of the ARRB Report mentioned above. In all cases where the ARRB agreed to withhold a record or information in a record, they stipulated a specific release date for the document. In addition, according to Section 5(g)(2)(D) of the Act, all records in the Kennedy Collection will be opened by 2017 unless certified as justifiably closed by the President of the United States.
How can I get a copy of the Warren Commission Report?
- The volumes are out of print, but are available to read at US Government depository libraries throughout the US. Go to Federal Depository Library to find a depository library near you.
- The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) sells microfilm copies of the Warren Commission Report and its 26 supporting volumes. Simply call 1-866-272-6272 and ask for microfilm publication M1758 or see the page on How to Purchase Microfilm for instructions on mailing in an order.
- NARA has an electronic link to the Report, but not the 26 supporting volumes.
- A digitized version of the Warren Commission Report and all 26 supporting volumes is available at the web site of the Assassination Archives and Research Center (AARC) at the following link: http://www.aarclibrary.org/publib.htm . The AARC is a private organization and is not affiliated with NARA in any way. NARA cannot vouch for the accuracy of this digitized version of the Report and supporting volumes. However, we are providing the link as a courtesy for our researchers.
- Finally, we understand that CD ROM versions of the Report and supporting volumes are sold through various sources. We do not endorse any publication but understand that they can be purchased through amazon.com and a private organization at jfklancer.com .
What do you know about the "backyard photographs"?
There are three different backyard photographs. Two were located at the time of the Warren Commission and are filed as CE 133A and 133B. A third was discovered by the HSCA and is filed as HSCA F Exhibit F-180. An explanation of the history of all three photographs is located in HSCA Report, Volume II, pp.319-322.
Can I see the rifle or other artifacts?
It is NARA policy to make evidentiary objects available for viewing only when a researcher's needs cannot be met by a review of pictures, reproductions, or descriptions of the object and when production of the original will not cause damage or harm to the original. We will be glad to consider your request to see the physical evidence if you will:
(1) Identify which specific exhibit or exhibits you wish to see. A general request to see all of the physical exhibits is not sufficient.
(2) Indicate which of the photographs, drawings, measurements and descriptions of the exhibit and any other documentation relating to it you have examined.
(3) Indicate briefly why the documentation available on the exhibit does not satisfy your research objectives and how those objectives might be met by observation of the original exhibits.
We will not consider any request unless the researcher has examined the digitized preservation photographs of the "Exhibits and Other Evidence from the President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy (Warren Commission), 1959-1964" that are available through the National Archives Catalog.
Can I see Warren Commission records that are designated as commission exhibits (CE's) or FBI exhibits but are not artifacts?
The records you describe are from Entry 42 [Exhibits and Other Evidence] in the Records of the Warren Commission (RG 272). Unlike most documents in the JFK Assassination Records Collection, NARA does not routinely serve these records to the public due to the intrinsic value of many of these exhibits and the fact that the CE's are published in the supporting volumes to the Warren Commission Report. If you would still like to examine the original, we will arrange an appointment so that you can view the materials. During the appointment, a NARA staff member will handle the records and will be present at all times. If you would like to make an appointment, please contact the Special Access and FOIA Staff and supply the exhibit number and a brief description of the document you wish to examine. For information about access to artifacts please see the FAQ above.
I have seen the autopsy photographs and x-rays in books. Did NARA make them available?
Any photographs that have been published in books throughout the years were not obtained from NARA.
The autopsy photographs and X-rays of President Kennedy were donated to the National Archives by the Kennedy family by an agreement dated October 29, 1966. This agreement limits access to such materials to: (1) persons authorized to act for a Committee of Congress, a Presidential Commission, or any other official agency of the Federal government having authority to investigate matters relating to the assassination of President Kennedy and to (2) recognized experts in the field of pathology or related areas of science and technology whose applications are approved by the Kennedy family representative, Mr. Paul Kirk.
Can I access the Autopsy Report?
The National Archives does have an electronic copy of Appendix IX (Commission Exhibits 387 & 391). If you would like to receive a hard copy of Appendix IX, please write to us and provide us with a postal mailing address.
What happened to the Presidential Limousine that carried President Kennedy on the day he was assassinated?
The limousine that carried the President was searched for evidence after the assassination. It was then cleaned and continued to be used for certain functions. The windshield of the limousine was removed as evidence by the FBI and the Secret Service since it had been hit by the third bullet. The windshield was designated Commission Exhibit (CE) 350 of the Warren Commission and as a Warren Commission Exhibit will remain in the custody of the National Archives and Records Administration. The limousine is currently at the Henry Ford museum in Dearborn Michigan.
What is an "assassination-related" document?
The official definition of an assassination-related document was established by the ARRB, which was given the responsibility by the Kennedy Act. The ARRB definition is found in Chapter 2, page 18 of the ARRB Report.
The Federal Government created assassination-related records for a variety of reasons. Even before November 22, 1963, a few agencies maintained information on certain individuals later linked with the assassination. Many agencies gathered and created records immediately following the assassination in pursuit of investigations or ongoing business. Still more assembled material in response to the five formal commissions or committees established to investigate various aspects of the assassination or related subjects. Records reflecting all of these functions comprise the Kennedy Collection.
More Articles
- Selective Exposure and Partisan Echo Chambers in Television News Consumption: Innovative Use of Data Yields Unprecedented Insights
- Jo Freeman Reviews Thank You For Your Servitude: Donald Trump's Washington and the Price of Submission
- Images of Screwdrivers, Lockpicks, Business Cards, Surgical Gloves, a Room Key for the Watergate, the Now-infamous ChapStick Microphone: Watergate Trial Records Digitized Ahead of Scandal’s 50th Anniversary
- New Year’s Poems From Navy Deck Logs; "A happy new year to you all, and if you’re awake for the mid-watch, may it be uneventful!"
- Journalist's Resource: Religious Exemptions and Required Vaccines; Examining the Research
- Jo Freeman Reviews: Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight
- Jo Freeman Writes: Sex and the Democratic Party – In Brooklyn
- Jo Freeman Reviews MADAM SPEAKER, Nancy Pelosi and the Lessons Of Power: “An iron fist in a Gucci glove”
- Jo Freeman Reviews Mazie's Hirono's Heart of Fire: An Immigrant Daughter's Story
- Jo Freeman: The Georgia Peach Is Purple