After the announcement on Nov. 22, 1963 that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, letters to Dallas’ Mayor, Earle Cabell, started pouring in. The telegrams ranged from sorrowful love for the city of Dallas to deep, enraged hatred toward the events that took place here. SMU’s own DeGolyer Library archives this historical treasure trove. The Daily Campus has read through the letters and will showcase some of them in a series to run three times a week leading up to the 50th anniversary of JFK’s death. These letters are verbatim, please excuse spelling and grammatical errors.

Mayor Earle Cabell: Dear mayor the warm and friendly welcome accorded to the late president in dallas is an historical fact which must not be erased by the dastardly act of one hateful assassin. Your city became the temporary abode of the assassin who picked the time and place for his evil act not because it was dallas but because his victim was there. Please be assured that right thinking people understand the anguish and outrage of the good people of your city at having to be forced to be the unwilling witnesses to a national tragedy. – A man from Los Angeles, California Nov. 25, 1963

Mayor of dallas: quote you stink unquote.–A man from Detroit, Michigan Nov. 27, 1963

Mayor Earle Cabell: We the student council of perkins school of theology hereby express our wholehearted agreement with your speech which was televised nationally on november 26th we have taken your call to action to heart and have begun to seek ways through which we may speak as the church.–The Perkins Student Council, Perkins School of Theology Southern Methodist University

Dear Sir: In behalf of myself and all other intelligent citizens of the united states, please convey to the good people of dallas and texas that we share their grief for what occurred to the president yesterday in your city. This however will never change our love for Texasand its citizens.–A man from Beverly, Massachusetts Nov. 23, 1963

Hon Mayor of Dallas: I respectfully propose that the drive upon which our beloved president was assassinated in dallas last week be changed to kennedy memorial drive.–·A man from Beaumont, Texas Nov. 26, 1963