NEWS94-Year-Old Joan Jackson Identified as Mysterious Woman in Headscarf in Iconic JFK Assassination Video
Joan Jackson was identified as the woman in a headscarf seen in John F. Kennedy assassination footage.
Sept. 25 2026, Published 8:20 a.m. ET
Joan Jackson, now 94, was identified as the mystery woman in a headscarf seen in footage from the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.
"Her daughter happened to call me at the museum and say, 'My mom saw the parade. She's in a film. She's wearing a headscarf,'" Stephen Fagin, head of curatorial at the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, told CBS Texas.
Jackson was watching Kennedy's motorcade in Dallas on November 22, 1963, when she was photographed and filmed holding the young son of a friend.
For sixty-three years, her identity remained unknown.
Joan Jackson Remembers Watching JFK's Motorcade
Joan Jackson was photographed while watching President John F. Kennedy's motorcade in Dallas.
Joan still owns the headscarf she wore that day.
"I didn't even know anyone was filming it. It's like I'm looking right at the camera," she said.
Now living in a senior facility in Dallas, she still remembers the streets she walked and the moments leading up to John's arrival.
The presidential motorcade drew crowds across Dallas as John traveled with Jacqueline Kennedy, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, and Texas Governor John Connally.
"They announced that the sun was coming out and that they were going to take the bubble off of the car," Joan said.
"It was just such a beautiful setting for me to see them go by. I know we kept saying to each other, 'I can't believe this,'" she added.
John F. Kennedy's assassination was described as a lasting part of living memory.
For Stephen, finding Joan adds another personal connection to the extensive record of John's assassination.
"They're like puzzle pieces that fit into this broader tapestry of living memory, and they help to connect us to the moment and the memory of that event and make this story relevant to younger people born decades after the 1960s," he said.
However, Joan also reflected on why the memories from that day should continue to be shared.
"The older ones, we won't be around much longer, and I think the young ones need to know what happened," she said.
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Museum Preserves Joan Jackson's Story
John F. Kennedy's assassination remained connected to firsthand memories preserved over time.
Stephen also described what Joan's story adds to the museum's work.
"It provides this tangible link to the moment, and the memory of the assassination, and to preserve that makes this event real and relevant today," he said.
Joan's headscarf is set to be displayed at the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, while her memories will also be preserved through the museum's YouTube page.
John F. Kennedy's assassination became one of the most documented events in American history.
The late 35th U.S. President arrived in Dallas after visiting San Antonio, Houston, and Fort Worth on November 21, 1963.
The next morning, he landed at Love Field before beginning the motorcade through the city.
At about 12:30 p.m., the motorcade turned onto Elm Street in Dealey Plaza.
John was shot twice and was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 1 p.m.
The assassination became one of the most documented and debated events in American history, with photographs and film capturing the motorcade and the immediate aftermath.
