The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) holds the unique documents created by government organizations in the course of their business. This documentation consists of such things as letters, memorandums, and reports. We have well over 5 million pages of documents relating to the Kennedy assassination alone. We do not loan records since each document is unique, unlike a library book, which is one of many copies. When you are ready to begin using the documents from the JFK Assassination Records Collection, please visit our website at http://www.archives.gov/research/jfk/. There you will find more detailed information about the collection, including the final reports of both the Warren Commission and House Select Committee on Assassinations (not including the supporting volumes) and the JFK database. The database indexes over 300,000 of the documents that are a part of the collection.
Do I have to submit a Freedom of Information Act request to access any records within the collection?
No, tThe vast majority of records in the JFK Assassination Collection are open in full. There is not need to file a FOIA to examine open records in the custody of the National Archives. For the few records that are partially or fully closed, the JFK Assassination Records Review Board voted to authorize the withholding of each piece of information that was postponed under Section 6 of the JFK Act. Under the Act, no information can be closed after 2017 unless approved by the President of the United States. The grounds for postponement under the JFK Act are much more narrowly drawn thatn the exemption categories of the FOIA, therefore more information has been released under the provisions of the JFK Act than would have been released under the provisions of the FOIA. I It is extremely unlikely that information withheld under the JFK Act would be released under a FOIA review. Nevertheless, if you would like to request a FOIA review of documents that have information deleted, please write to us citing the specific document.
Can I view Mrs. Kennedy’s Pink Suit?
Mrs. Kennedy's suit resides at the National Archives and Records Administration's (NARA) College Park facility. It is located in a secure area, under climate-controlled conditions, and stored flat in special containers for preservation purposes.
Caroline B. Kennedy donated suit to the National Archives through a deed of gift, signed in 2003 The deed states that the clothing and personal effects "should be deposited, safeguarded, and preserved in the National Archives of the United States as materials of historical importance, and "the family further desires to ensure that the materials never be subject to public display, research, or any other use that would in any way dishonor the memory of Mrs. Kennedy or President Kennedy, or cause any grief or suffering to members of their family." Therefore access to the clothing and personal effects of Mrs. Kennedy are restricted for one hundred (100) years from the date of execution of the deed of gift.
Can I have copies of the entire collection?
There are well over 5 million pages of records that document the assassination of President Kennedy and the investigation that followed. The National Archives currently charges $.80 per page for photocopies of textual records. For this reason, copying the entire Collection is not practical. There are finding aids available on line that can help you narrow your request to specific documents that answer your research question.
Please visit our website. Here, you will find detailed information about the collection. Online versions of the final reports of the Warren Commission, House Select Committee on Assassinations, and the Assassination Records Review Board are also available. To locate documents in the JFK Assassination Records Collection that are relevant to your research, I suggest that you search the JFK database, also available on our website. This database indexes over 300,000 individual records in the Collection. Tips for using the database are provided on the website. Each document is described in a Record Identification Form (RIF).
Once you have located the documents to which you would like access, simply print out the RIFs and mail them to Textual Records Reference Division, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, Maryland, 20740. Alternatively, you may also cut and paste the entire RIF into an email and send it to our office at archives2reference@nara.gov. Upon receiving your reproduction request, we will send you a quote for the reproduction charges. When we receive payment, we will prepare the photocopies and mail them to you.
Can I view President Kennedy’s clothing?
The apparel worn by President Kennedy on November 22, 1963, is in the legal and physical custody of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). The President's apparel was used as evidence during the Warren Commission investigation into the assassination during the years 1963 through 1964. When the work of the Warren Commission ended, the apparel was transferred to NARA under a deed of gift. The apparel is located in a secure area, under climate-controlled conditions, and stored flat in special containers for preservation purposes. In addition, NARA created detailed color photos of these materials as part of a larger preservation effort to photograph the significant artifacts in the JFK Assassination Records Collection. Due to the restraints of the deed of gift under which the materials were transferred to NARA, NARA has not posted these photographs online, as we have with photographs of other JFK assassination related artifacts. However, the photographs of the clothing are available for examination in our research room in College Park, Maryland, or may be purchased for a fee.
Are the images in the collection public domain or under copyright?
Some of the images in which you are interested may be copyrighted. Where obvious copyright or donor imposed restrictions apply, written releases from the copyright owners may be required before reproductions will be made. It is the user’s responsibility to obtain all necessary clearances. Any use of these items is made at the researcher’s or purchaser’s own risk.
White House Photographs: White House Photographs22 April 1962
The Kennedy family departs a private chapel at the residence of Ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr., in Palm Beach, Florida, following Easter Sunday service. President John F. Kennedy holds Caroline Kennedy's hand; First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy carries John F. Kennedy, Jr.
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material.
Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement.
The National Archives reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.
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