The John F. Kennedy Assassination Archive of Official Notifications to the Ambassador of a Foreign Nation

From the files of Algerian ambassador to the U.S., Cherif Guellal

The Kennedys had a unique relationship with the government of Algeria, which had just received its independence from France. It was John Kennedy, then Senator, who introduced a resolution calling for Algerian independence, and who had spoken at great length of the importance of that independence for world peace.

On November 22, 1963, after the assassination, official Washington scrambled to figure out what to do next; and that included the emissaries from countries all around the world.  This archive shows exactly what was done.  It includes:

News of the assassination:

The Algerian Ambassador warns his country that the “President victim of attack during Dallas Visit Stop Case Serious” (Telegram: November 22 212PM EST);

Lyndon B. Johnson has taken the oath of office and become President:

LBJ takes over for the fallen President: “I have the honor to inform you that Lyndon B. Johnson, Vice President of the United States, took the Oath of Office as President of the United States today” (Telegram: November 22, 1963 339 PM).

The government of Algeria addresses President Lyndon Johnson:

“It is with great shock and profound sorry that I heard, this very moment, of the sad news of the great loss to the American nation and friends everywhere of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy (Nov 22 436PM); The same telegram sent to Sec State Dean Rusk, Mrs. Kennedy and to the State Department;

Response from Dean Rusk thanking the people of Algeria; The US government informs the government of Algeria that there will be a meeting between the new President and the heads of the heads of delegation (2 telegrams Nov 25);

– Printed mourning card from Mrs. Kennedy;

– Original program for the funeral of President Kennedy, at St. Matthews Cathedral, November 25, 1963;

– 3-page schedule and further details for the funeral procession of the President;

– Printed statement from President Johnson to the President of Algeria expressing his thanks to the government and people and Algeria;

– 2-page Information bulletin from the Algerian Embassy on the assassination and actions taken by the Algerian government, December 1;

– Printed notice from the Secretary of State Dean Rusk to the heads of delegation from the African nations thanking them;

– 4 separate communications from the heads of the African delegations on the assassination;

– Signed statement from Halim Al-Naggar on the actions taken at area mosques on the assassination;

– Printed notice from the Secretary of State Dean Rusk to all heads of delegations;

– 12-page, evidently unpublished manuscript on the aftermath of the assassination, used or authored by the Algerian ambassador, Cherif Guellal.

This is the first archive of its kind that we have seen reach the market.