One of the greatest tragedies in the history of the United States was the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963. Many historians believe that America was forever changed by his murder—and not for the better. For those who didn’t live through it, it’s almost impossible to imagine the deep trauma arising from the assassination. The Kennedy administration had been dubbed “Camelot.” Young, energetic and born to financial royalty, the Kennedy clan stormed Washington, D.C. following the election of 1960. After the gray conformity of the 1950s, they represented high culture, high style and high ambitions. But on November 22, 1963, that light was snuffed out forever. Was it a conspiracy or the work of a lone gunman? The controversy has raged for 48 years and shows no sign of abating.

After Kennedy’s death, a blue-ribbon panel was formed to investigate.  Chaired by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren, the Commission released an 888-page report in August of 1964. After interviewing 552 witnesses and officials, and poring over reams of documents, the Warren Report concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in the murder of the president. The unpublished portion of those records was initially sealed for 75 years (to 2039) under a National Archives policy that applied to all federal investigations by the executive branch of government. This was a period "intended to serve as protection for innocent persons who could otherwise be damaged because of their relationship with participants in the case.” The 75-year rule no longer exists, supplanted by the Freedom of Information Act of 1966 and the JFK Records Act of 1992. By then, 98 percent of the Warren Commission records had been released to the public. The remaining Kennedy assassination-related documents are scheduled for release to the public by 2017.

It’s been 48 years. What is the holdup?

While there are an endless number of conspiracy theories, many of the doubts boil down to one simple question: If the government isn’t hiding anything, why not release every scrap of evidence and documentation? A 2003 Gallup Poll revealed that 75% of Americans don’t believe that Oswald acted alone. Countless books have been written and several major movies made, including Oliver Stone’s classic JFK. Leonardo DiCaprio has signed on for yet another film version of the conspiracy theories behind the Kennedy assassination.