America in the 1960s was a time of change. The economy was prosperous, the American Dream was of large influence, suburbs were growing, and the time really served to be a decade of upheaval. One of the most influential figures during that time, was John F. Kennedy. JFK was a young democrat who was the first presidential candidate to use tv to influence an election. He became the youngest person to hold the position of President of the United States and helped address the tensions of the Cold War in Cuba. He played a large role in the growing civil rights movement and was greatly adored by the American people. On November 11, 1963, JFK was assassinated. On the way to a site to where he would be speaking, he was shot twice by a gunman hiding out in a nearby building as he rode along in an open vehicle. Lee Harvey Oswald, a twenty four year old known to have communist sympathies, was arrested for the assassination. However, while being lead to jail just two days later, he was shot and killed by nightclub owner Jack Ruby. Although this is what historians cite as the true story of Kennedy’s assassination, many people today have other theories. Conspiracies about this tragedy are incredibly plentiful and have lead some to believe that the assassination of America’s thirty-fifth president was bigger than just one person. But why do these theories exist? And why are people still hung up on decoding this event when it occured over 50 years ago? There are many reasons as to why there are so many conspiracy theories surrounding the assassination of John F. Kennedy, as well as why the public today is so fascinated by it. These exist mainly because of the public’s fascination with the event (as well as conspiracies), misunderstanding of political power dynamics, and the desire to hold true to one’s irrational beliefs.
In order to identify the causes of these conspiracies, it’s important to know what exactly these theories are. One popular theory is that multiple gunmen were involved in the shooting. One of the most popular multiple gunmen theories is focused on an ‘Umbrella Man’, a mysterious man who was seen holding a black umbrella on the sunny day of the assassination. Some believed he shot a poison dart into Kennedy’s neck, allowing Oswald to get a better shot. The Umbrella Man was also featured in Oliver Stone’s film “JFK” sending signals to fellow assassins. In reality, the Umbrella Man (named Louie Steven Witt) brought the umbrella to taunt the president, not to threaten. Another theory is that it was an inside job involving other American officials. Some believe it had to do with Cubans and Soviets using Oswald as a pawn to kill the president, or that the mob was involved. None of these have been proven with straight facts, however, many people believe that they are truth.
The public is incredibly fascinated by these theories. In a survey conducted by FiveThirtyEight, where 5,130 Americans from different backgrounds were questioned, 61% of people said that they believed that Kennedy wasn’t killed by Oswald alone. Despite only 33% believing that Oswald acted alone, that theory has actually grown over time. This 33% is the highest that belief has ever been since 1966. This could be due to conspiracists inability to provide proof to the public. However, those who believe in the conspiracies exponentially outnumber those who don’t. But why? The assassination of JFK was one of the most public murders in history. Kennedy was also widely adored by the public, so it makes sense that people would take interest and question the story as we know it. What is really interesting though, is that it is still being debated over 50 years later.
Another reason for the American public still having doubts about the JFK assassination is the misunderstanding of political power dynamics. Not everyone agrees with or trusts in the United States government. According to Time, “As a broad rule, a party or group that’s out of power will be more inclined to believe in conspiracies than a group that’s in power”. People who face a loss, such as an election, or in this case a beloved president, immediately want to point fingers and pin blame onto something to explain that loss.