Details:

Malcolm Kilduff received this heartfelt autographed typed condolence letter from Roland Gammon of Communicorp Public Relations, written on company letterhead and dated November 26, 1963—just days after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Gammon offers a deeply emotional tribute, calling President Kennedy “one of God’s heroes” and expressing the belief that while it is “mankind’s loss that he is gone,” he has entered the “great dawn of death” to live on “more beautifully.”

Gammon reflects warmly on having known Kilduff in the weeks leading up to the tragedy and extends personal regards to several mutual acquaintances, including Andy Berger and Evelyn Lincoln. At the bottom, Gammon adds a rare and bold handwritten postscript requesting an autographed photograph of JFK and a coveted Kennedy tie-clasp “for me someday,” noting he would be “deeply grateful.”

A moving letter that captures the raw grief of the period and reveals the extraordinary number of people who reached out to Kilduff in the aftermath of November 22, 1963.

Fine condition.

Provenance: From the estate of Kennedy Assistant Press Secretary Malcolm Kilduff, who famously announced JFK’s death to the press.

Malcolm MacGregor Kilduff Jr. served as Assistant White House Press Secretary under President John F. Kennedy. On November 22, 1963, in Dallas, he was thrust into history when he stepped before reporters at Parkland Memorial Hospital and made the official public announcement that President Kennedy had died—pointing to his own head to indicate the location of the fatal wound. Widely respected for his steadiness under unimaginable pressure, Kilduff continued to serve in the Johnson Administration before moving into private sector communications. His papers and personal files remain among the most significant firsthand archival sources relating to the transition period following the assassination.

Authentication:
Includes a full letter of authenticity from JG Autographs, Inc.

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Reference sku: 11665 1412418-1