Another 20 years would elapse before the United States would send a woman into space. In 1983, Sally K. Ride earned this distinction aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger. The following year, she returned aboard Challenger, where she was joined by another woman, Kathryn D. Sullivan, who became the first American woman to walk in space.

 

  

 

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Kennedy assassinated in Dallas

Nov. 22, A large and enthusiastic crowd greeted the presidential party when it arrived at the Dallas airport on the morning of November 22. Along the route of the motorcade into downtown Dallas the people stood 10 to 12 deep, applauding warmly. Next to the president in the big open limousine sat his wife. In front of them, on jump seats, were John B. Connally, the governor of Texas, and his wife, Nellie. The third car in the procession carried Vice-President and Mrs. Johnson. As the cars approached a triple underpass, Mrs. Connally turned around and said, "You can't say Dallas doesn't love you, Mr. President." At that moment three shots rang out. The president, shot through the head and throat, slumped over into his wife's lap. The second bullet hit Governor Connally, piercing his back, chest, wrist, and thigh. A reporter, glancing up, saw a rifle slowly disappear into a sixth-floor corner window of the Texas School Book Depository, a textbook warehouse overlooking the highway. It was 12:30 PM in Dallas. President Kennedy died in Parkland Memorial Hospital without regaining consciousness. The time of death was set at 1:00 PM.Governor Connally recovered from his multiple wounds.