0 president and mrs. kennedy's rip to texas included a number of for thes around the state to various cities and jackie kennedy managed to steal spotlight among the excited crowds. brian williams reports on the events leading up to that shot heard round the world. >> reporter: at their third texas stop in ft. worth, even though it was late and raining, people lined the streets to see them. the kennedys spent their last night together at the hotel texas. the next morning, november 22nd, the president emerged to greet a crowd of 5,000 gathered outside. >> i appreciate you being here this morning. mrs. kennedy is organizing herself. it takes longer. but of course she looks better than me. >> reporter: and when she appeared, mrs. kennedy made a stunning entrance wearing the now famous pink chanel suit, wheat gloves and pill box hat. >> a few years ago i sbr drused myself in paris by saying i was the man who accompanied mrs. kennedy to paris. i'm getting that same sensation as i travel around texas. nobody wonders what we wear. >> reporter: president kennedy almost never wore hats. in fact the hat industry complained he was turning other men against them. but that day, he was given a stetson. >> couldn't let you leave ft. worth without providing you some protection against the rain. >> i'll future it on in the white house monday if you'll come up there, you'll have a chance to see it. >> reporter: that last flight from ft. worth to neighboring dallas took just 13 minutes. and the first couple emerged into bright spine. the crowds were big and the president and first lady headed over to the fence line to shake as many hands as possible. from there, it was into an open car and his drive into downtown dallas whered sadly history was waiting just ten miles away. >> nbc's brian william reporting. and that moment in history is forever captured in an iconic silent picture sequence. if you've never seen it, the video is graphic and it may be disturbing to some viewers. private set zen abe bra zam filmed the motorcade on his home video camera. she was tapping on a concrete pedestal. it stands out as perhaps one of the most important pieces of evidence gurg thduring this hor moment. the film captures the creep in graphic detail when the bullet fatally strikes president kennedy in the head. today's anniversary is impacting americans coast to coast, but perhaps no other city is feeling it more strongly than dallas. today will be the first time that city officially marks the anniversary. jay gray reports from dealey plaza. >> reporter: the images still eche c can echo. the grainy film. the shock and pain from one of america's darkest moments.the g. the shock and pain from one of america's darkest moments.echo. the grainy film. the shock and pain from one of america's darkest moments. its that yet to fade. >> i was 13. i knew exactly where he was the minute he was shot. and if changed my outlook on the world. he was just stunned. couldn't believe it could happen in america. >> reporter: specifically dallas, texas. >> dallas was known throughout the world after the assassination by this stigma. >> reporter: the events of that day still haunt the city. terrific legacy outlined by the buildings where the tragedy played out still in use today. the texas school book depository, parkland hospital where john kennedy was rushed, and where a nation learned its president was dead. and the texas theater where police arrested lee harvey oswald. >> when i heard the shots, i thought some idiot has fired it as a demonstration. it was inconceivable that the shots would have been directed at kennedy. >> reporter: a young reporter for nbc news found himself in the middle of a story that would change the country forever. >> it ushered in, sort of opened the door to all the nightmarish things that seized this country by the throat for the rest of this decade of the 60s. >> reporter: and that now a half century later still seems to have a hold on the nation's heart and soul. jay gray, nbc news, dallas. >> msnbc will have continuing coverage of this anniversary throughout the day as america marks the 50th anniversary of president kennedy's assassination. tonight at 7:00 p.m., jfk the day that changed merg. at 8:00, the kennedy brothers. a hardball documentary. and at 9:00, refer represented al sharpton examines gun violence in miles an hour city cities. after that faetful dteful d the funeral and the reride arel horse was known as jack black. a young soldier was assigned to lead him that day. >> when i started working with black jack, i think he was about 16. calm. knew his job. when he was a young horse when he first got there, he was wild. barely controllable. he had gotten spooked. he was starting to dance, starting to throw his head. i said i don't know what's wrong with this horse, but i'm in big trouble. >> carlton did everything he could to control the horse, but he said there was an up side to jack black's wildness. no one tried to crowd the procession. abraham was 25 when he joined the united states secret service, he became the first african-american agent assigned to white house detail when he was personally selected to the post by president kennedy in 1961. he says he had left the detail by the time kennedy was as says natu assassinated and still feels the stipg of his organization's failure to protect the president. >> whatever they did, i did. history is not going to look favorable on the united states secret service and i was a part of that. >> you can check out the full video interview as well as other stories on president kennedy's impact on african americans. and president kennedy of course was beloved and remembered so fondly, but he did have a very strong impact on the african-american community, as well, just for his support for the civil rights. >> and you mentioned that so many people after his death purportedly 65% of americans said they voted for him even though that many people didn't vote for him. but the country was so much different. he had a 59% approval rating when he was killed. right now our president has only a 40% approval rating. >> learning a lot today. well, just ahead, we'll take you since one last week's powerful tornados. plus the bigger they are, the harder they fall. and shaq is certainly one of the big ones.