November 22, 2018, was Thanksgiving Day in the United States. Families gathered, food was served, and social media was buzzed with people saying what they were thankful for. The same day 55 years ago, the nation was in a very different atmosphere.

President John F. Kennedy, who was at this time preparing for his reelection campaign, had landed at a Dallas airport on November 22, 1963. He was on a trip to unite the Texas Democratic Party that was having major internal conflicts as well as raise funds for the nearing presidential election. The crowd gathered around to see him, then the president hopped onto his motorcade to attend a luncheon he was scheduled to speak at. It was when he was passing by the Dealey Plaza when the gunshots were fired, and he was killed.

The man’s legacy lived on, as his successor Lyndon Johnson carried out most of the policies JFK had started. This included the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the landmark legislation that allowed African Americans to vote in elections without any of the obstacles such as literacy tests. Especially now when the allegations of vote suppression has been hitting the news waves all around the country, many people are made to reflect on the reforms that Kennedy brought to America.

“When President Kennedy was assassinated, something died in those of us who knew him, and something died in America,” said Congressman John Lewis (D-GA), who was a friend of the president. “He was the first American president to say that the issue of civil rights and social justice was a moral issue.  He represented our hope, our idealism, our dreams about what America could become.  He made us believe that we could do anything, tackle any challenge, and that through our efforts we could help heal the problems of the world.”

“We lost a great leader in Dallas on November 22nd,” added Lewis. “I am not so sure we will be so lucky or so blessed to ever see his likeness again.”