By the fall of 1963, President Kennedy and his political advisers were preparing for the next presidential campaign. Although he had not formally announced his candidacy, it was clear that Kennedy was going to run for office and he seemed confident about his chances for reelection. On November 22, riding in a motorcade procession through downtown Dallas, Kennedy was shot.
According to the New York Times obituary of Mydans, Carl was one of the last photographers to reach LIFE magazine's offices after Kennedy's assassination. Since he was not awarded a clear assignment, Mydans wandered over to Grand Central Station and, on a whim, boarded a train north, headed to Stamford, Connecticut. The emotional intensity of the moment captured in this picture helped make it one of his most memorable images from all his years with LIFE.
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