You still hear people say they remember where they were when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. WBAP 820 AM is helping to preserve history for posterity by donating 21 original tapes from the station’s coverage of the events of November 22, 1963 in Dallas. The tapes are being handed over to the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza (the plaza where President Kennedy was shot). These original “day of” recordings are key materials documenting how this historic news event was reported to local audiences in 1963, and include coverage of before and after the assassination, as well as the fatal moment itself. The recordings will be officially transferred to the Museum on Monday, November 21 at 10:30 a.m.
“The Museum is committed to preserving not only artifacts and documentation about the assassination itself, but also about the cultural legacy of that pivotal event in history,” said Nicola Longford, executive director of The Sixth Floor Museum. “We are especially excited for this generous donation because it shows the vivid local perspective of this tragic day.”
The donation was spearheaded by longtime WBAP Operations Manager Tyler Cox. “The preservation of these original recordings has long been a goal of ours at WBAP,” Cox said. “The Sixth Floor Museum is the logical place for this audio glimpse of life in Dallas/Fort Worth on this fateful day to be preserved, and we’re pleased to make this donation to the Museum.”
Not only a reminder of the “shot heard around the world,” the tapes illustrate the invaluable role radio has played in our history.
Hello~!
I’m hoping you might be able to help me. I work in the Engineering Department on the campus of The University of Texas at Dallas and I am trying to locate some news articles from back in 1963. The name back then was Graduate Research Center of the Southwest (GRCSW)/Southwest Center for Advanced Studies (SCAS), 1961-1969. There was an event in which I believe your radio station was present and it was to insert a time capsule into the cornerstone of our Founders Building. It took place on October 29, 1963. One photo has a gentleman holding a microphone and what looks like a flyer with your station name on it. But we are having trouble locating the Time Capsule now. It has either been removed or covered over, but we are determined to find it! Any help you could give us would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks so much for your time!
Marietta