On the Spot: JFK assassination documents released 30 years after president’s death

Laura Amador-Toro

On Friday, President Trump tweeted that all files relating to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy would be published for the public. This action was due to the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992.

Tanya Raghu, Enterprise Editor

On Friday, President Trump announced via Twitter that documents related to President John F. Kennedy’s assassination on Nov. 22, 1963, would be released for public viewing. For privacy purposes, these records exclude documents which include the personal information of people still alive.

 

“I am doing this for reasons of full disclosure, transparency and in order to put any and all conspiracy theories to rest,” the President tweeted.

 

According to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), the majority of the document collection, 88 percent, has already been released and published for the public since the late 1990s.

 

“I’ve read Kennedy’s stuff since I was a little kid so it was kind of exciting to think, oh we’re supposed to get all this new information, I don’t think really think there’s a whole bunch of new information out there,” CHS History and assistant wrestling coach Ted Witulski said.

 

Now, 11 percent was released with sensitive information withdrawn. One percent of the records still remain confidential.

 

“The most important tapes have yet to be released, the government released the vast majority but held back for a 180 days the really important ones,” AP U.S. History teacher Kevin Casey said.

 

The records were published because thirty years following Kennedy’s assassination, Congress enacted the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992.

 

“It’s always important to understand the inner workings of your government, granted these are 50 years old, but I still think they give us a window or picture into the inner workings of the government,” Casey said.

 

Although close to the entire document collection has been released, Casey is still not satisfied.

 

“I was disappointed that they held out and didn’t really release all the documents,” Casey said. “I’m waiting for the last 2,800 documents.”