HOME MOVIE OF PRESIDENT KENNEDY DONATED TO SIXTH FLOOR MUSEUM

THE RICE HOTEL IN HOUSTON WAS THE SECOND TRIP OF A PLANNED FIVE-CITY TEXAS VISIT THAT WAS TO HAVE FINISHED AT A FUND-RAISER DINNER IN AUSTIN. THE KENNEDY ASSASSINATION HAPPENED IN DALLAS THE NEXT DAY. SHORTLY BEFORE 9pm IN THE HOTEL'S GRAND BALLROOM, PRESIDENT KENNEDY SPOKE TO A GROUP OF SEVERAL HUNDRED FROM THE LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS (LULAC). HE THEN INTRODUCED FIRST LADY JACQUELINE KENNEDY WHO SPOKE, WITHOUT NOTES, IN SPANISH. THE ROOM ERUPTED IN CHEERS OF 'OLE'. AT THE TIME, ROY BOTELLO SERVED AS THE LULAC SCHOLARSHIP CORPORATION COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN. AS ONE OF THE TOP OFFICIALS OF THE HOST COMMITTEE, BOTELLO HAD CLOSE ACCESS TO THE KENNEDYS THAT EVENING. HE BROUGHT AMONG HIS HOME MOVIE CAMERA AND CAPTURED SILENT COLOUR FILM OF THE KENNEDY ARRIVAL, WELCOMING DIGNITARIES, A MARIACHI BAND AND BOTH KENNEDYS ADDRESSING THE CROWD. 'RAY BOTELLO SHOWED HIS HOME MOVIE FOR THE FIRST TIME PUBLICLY LAST YEAR AND HAS GENEROUSLY DONATED THE ORIGINAL FILM TO THE MUSEUM FOR EDUCATION AND PRESERVATION', SAID GARY MACK, CURATOR AT THE SIXTH FLOOR MUSEUM AT DEALEY PLAZA. 'WE COMMISSIONED A NEW FILM-TO-VIDEO TRANSFER THAT SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVES THESE HISTORIC IMAGES.' THE MUSEUM IS COMMITTED TO FINDING AND PRESERVING HOME MOVIES, PHOTOGRAPHS AND NEWS COVERAGE OF EVENTS RELATED TO JFK's 21-22.NOVEMBER.1963 TRIP TO TEXES AND HIS ASSASSINATION AND TO MAKING THESE MATERIALS ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH EXHIBITION, PROGRAMS AND RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES.