Abraham Zapruder

Abraham Zapruder
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Name	Abraham Zapruder
Birth date	May 15, 1905
Birth place	Kovel, Russian Empire
Death date	August 30, 1970
Death place	Dallas, Texas, United States
Occupation	Dress manufacturer, film enthusiast

Abraham Zapruder was a Ukrainian-American dress manufacturer and amateur film enthusiast who is best known for capturing the assassination of John F. Kennedy on film on November 22, 1963, in Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas, near the Texas School Book Depository and the Grassy Knoll. Zapruder's home movie footage, which was shot using a Bell & Howell camera, has become one of the most famous and influential pieces of film in history, often referenced in discussions of the Kennedy assassination alongside the Warren Commission and the House Select Committee on Assassinations. The Zapruder film has been extensively analyzed by researchers, including those at the National Archives and Records Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and has been the subject of numerous documentaries, such as those produced by PBS and the History Channel. Zapruder's life and work have also been explored in books by authors like Gerald Posner and Vincent Bugliosi, who have written about the assassination and its investigation.

● Early Life and Career

Abraham Zapruder was born on May 15, 1905, in Kovel, Russian Empire, to a Jewish family, and later moved to the United States, where he settled in New York City and worked in the garment industry with companies like Macy's and Saks Fifth Avenue. He eventually moved to Dallas, Texas, where he started his own dress manufacturing business, Jennifer Juniors, Inc., which was located in the Dallas Textile District near the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. Zapruder was an avid amateur film enthusiast and often shot home movies of his family and friends using his Bell & Howell camera, which he had purchased at a camera store in Dallas. He was also a member of the Dallas Chamber of Commerce and the Jewish Community Center of Dallas, and was involved in various philanthropic activities, including supporting the United Way and the American Red Cross.

● The Assassination Film

On November 22, 1963, Zapruder was in Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas, to film the motorcade of President John F. Kennedy using his Bell & Howell camera, which was equipped with a telephoto lens and color film. As the president's limousine turned onto Elm Street, Zapruder began filming, capturing the assassination of President Kennedy on film. The Zapruder film shows the president's car slowing down and turning onto Elm Street, followed by the sound of gunfire and the president slumping forward, and has been extensively analyzed by experts at the FBI Laboratory and the National Archives and Records Administration. The film has been the subject of numerous investigations, including those conducted by the Warren Commission and the House Select Committee on Assassinations, and has been referenced in various documentaries and books about the Kennedy assassination, including those produced by CNN and BBC.

● Aftermath and Later Life

After capturing the assassination on film, Zapruder was interviewed by the FBI and the Dallas Police Department, and his film was developed and analyzed by the FBI Laboratory and the National Archives and Records Administration. Zapruder's film was also shown to the Warren Commission, which was established by President Lyndon B. Johnson to investigate the assassination, and was later used as evidence in the trial of Lee Harvey Oswald, which was covered by news organizations like the New York Times and the Washington Post. Zapruder's life was forever changed by the events of that day, and he became a key figure in the investigation into the assassination, working closely with investigators from the FBI and the Dallas Police Department. He also worked with researchers from the National Archives and Records Administration and the Library of Congress to preserve and analyze the Zapruder film.

● Legacy and Impact

The Zapruder film has had a profound impact on the way we understand the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and has been widely referenced in popular culture, including in films like JFK and Nixon, and in TV shows like The X-Files and House of Cards. The film has also been the subject of numerous documentaries and books, including those produced by PBS and the History Channel, and has been extensively analyzed by researchers and experts from the FBI Laboratory and the National Archives and Records Administration. Zapruder's film has also been preserved and archived by the National Archives and Records Administration and the Library of Congress, and is considered one of the most important pieces of film in history, alongside other notable films like the Zimmermann Telegram and the Treaty of Versailles. The Zapruder film has also been referenced in various court cases, including the trial of Lee Harvey Oswald and the trial of Jack Ruby, which were covered by news organizations like the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune.

● Personal Life

Abraham Zapruder was a private person who preferred to keep a low profile, despite his involvement in one of the most significant events in American history. He was married to Lillian Zapruder and had two children, Henry Zapruder and Myrna Zapruder, and was a member of the Jewish Community Center of Dallas and the Dallas Chamber of Commerce. Zapruder was also an avid amateur film enthusiast and enjoyed shooting home movies of his family and friends using his Bell & Howell camera, which he had purchased at a camera store in Dallas. He passed away on August 30, 1970, in Dallas, Texas, at the age of 65, and is buried in the Emanu-El Cemetery in Dallas, near the Dallas Museum of Art and the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. Zapruder's legacy continues to be felt today, and his film remains an important part of American history, alongside other notable events like the Battle of Gettysburg and the Great Depression.