JFK’s Brain Has Been Missing for 58 Years

Sixty-one years ago, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, marking one of the most debated and controversial moments in modern history. While questions persist about whether Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, a lesser-known mystery surrounds the fate of JFK’s brain, which disappeared from the National Archives in 1966, three years after his death.

For decades, investigators have theorized about what happened to the brain, often focusing on the autopsy as a possible clue to its disappearance.

Sixty-one years later, the mystery endures. Although the brain’s whereabouts remain unknown, investigators continue to propose theories that might explain its disappearance.

How is JFK’s autopsy linked to the disappearance of the brain?

JFK’s autopsy is widely considered botched and imprecise, conducted hastily under unusual circumstances after the assassination of the most powerful man in the world. The procedure took place at Bethesda Naval Hospital.

The official autopsy report has faced heavy criticism over the years. Experts have pointed to inconsistencies and omissions in the findings, as well as discrepancies regarding who attended the autopsy and what procedures were performed.

What is certain is that JFK’s brain was removed during the autopsy, preserved in formalin, and placed in a stainless steel container, which was taken to the National Archives. In 1966, three years after the assassination, the archives conducted an inventory and discovered the brain was missing.

The brain had been stored with tissue samples, bone fragments, photographs, and X-rays. The container was originally moved by Evelyn Lincoln, JFK’s secretary, as part of organizing the President’s papers. 

So where is the brain and why is it so important?

According to historical accounts, JFK’s brain was removed during the autopsy because it was believed to be key to understanding the bullet trajectories. A 1972 New York Times article suggested it could potentially challenge the Warren Commission’s conclusion that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone.

Criticism of the Warren Commission often focuses on the bullet trajectory. Skeptics argue that the “single bullet” theory—which posits one bullet struck both JFK and Texas Gov. John Connally—defies physics. Experts have noted that such a trajectory would be highly improbable and that a bullet causing such injuries would likely not remain in a “pristine” condition, as described in the commission’s findings.

A 1972 New York Times article suggested that the mystery of JFK’s missing brain might not be a mystery at all, positing that the Kennedy family may have taken it.

The article reported that a spokesman for the Kennedy family insisted all evidence related to the president’s assassination had been turned over to the National Archives. However, Dr. Cyril H. Wecht, a prominent critic of the Warren Commission, believed otherwise. At the time, Dr. Wecht spent two days reviewing evidence at the National Archives, only to find the brain missing.

Adding to the conflicting accounts, Evelyn Lincoln, JFK’s secretary, later stated in government interviews that the brain had been delivered to a representative of Senator Robert F. Kennedy in 1965.

Despite these claims, the truth remains elusive. Fifty-eight years later, the whereabouts of President John F. Kennedy‘s brain are still unknown.