Journalist and artist, John Groth, had an opportunity to witness one of the twentieth century's most infamous events, the trial of Jack Ruby. Since Jack Ruby deprived the country of a trial for Lee Harvey Oswald, the man who shot President John F. Kennedy, his trial, and the Warren Commission were the only ones. A great deal of speculation on the Kennedy assassination and the role of Jack Ruby make a continuous mystery. John Groth was one of the journalists allowed in the courtroom. Television cameras were not admitted. His sketches depict the people and the mood of this event.
Beginning with his first job as an artist in 1934 for Esquire magazine, Groth's art covers much of American history. As a journalist he covered Word War II, Korea and Vietnam. His art has appeared in Fortune, Holiday, New Yorker, and Vogue, as well as many other magazines and books.
From the guide to the John Groth Renderings MA 84-5., 1964, (Texas/Dallas History & Archives, Dallas Public Library)
