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Playlist: JFK

Compiled By: PRX Editors

 Credit: <a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-453337p1.html?cr=00&pl=edit-00">Boris15</a> / <a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/?cr=00&pl=edit-00">Shutterstock.com</a>
Image by: Boris15 / Shutterstock.com 
Curated Playlist

Documentaries, short pieces, and reflections on President John F. Kennedy.

A Shortcut Back to Dallas-The 60th Anniversary Mix

From Peter Bochan | Part of the Shortcuts series | 28:52

The assassination of John F. Kennedy, the thirty-fifth President of the United States, took place on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dallas. We've remixed this program for this 50th anniversary, asking the question to various "witnesses"- where were you when you heard the news?

Lovefield_small

The assassination of John F. Kennedy, the thirty-fifth President of the United States, took place on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas, USA at 12:30 p.m. This program recorded in 1973 asks the simple question-where were you when you heard the news? Through the use of radio broadcasts, newscasts, jingles and the popular music on the air that year, "A Shortcut Back To Dallas" conjures up the changing moods of that afternoon, including a telephone time check that draws us through that fateful day in "real-time".   Mixing in voices from friends, parents and disk jockeys from 1963 with co-workers of ten years later-this documentary captures a variety of emotions, featuring The Kingston Trio, Elvis Presley, Freddie Scott, The Rooftop Singers, B. Mitchell Reed, & The WMCA "Good Guys", Danny Schechter, KLIF's Russ Knight -" The Weird Beard", The Washington Squares, The Impressions, Frank Sinatra, The Kingsmen, Shelly Fabares, Ed Sanders, Trini Lopez, The Chiffons, Tommy Roe, Peter, Paul & Mary and John F. Kennedy

Princess Grace on JFK

From Blank on Blank | Part of the Blank on Blank series | 06:21

"He turned to me suddenly and asked: 'Is that a Givenchy you’re wearing?' And I said, 'why how clever of you, Mr. President! However did you know?'"

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President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas on November 22. 1963. In the months that followed, his family launched a campaign to preserve the memory of JFK on tape. It was a massive oral history project talking to all of the people who knew him personally.

But for nearly 50 years few people ever got to hear these recordings. now our friends at PRX have recently gotten access to the thousands of interviews at the JFK archives. They’ve put together an hour long public radio special from these tapes. It’s called We Knew JFK and I got a chance to listen to some of these historic recordings.  There is so much to discover. And then I came across the conversation with Grace Kelly, the movie star who became Princess Grace of Monaco. Here’s the tape.


The Ambassadors

From WeKnewJFK.org | Part of the We Knew JFK Companion Pieces series | 03:36

Angier Biddle Duke, JFK's chief of protocol, remembers the time two heads of state came to harangue President Kennedy on his failings, and got a surprising reception.

Ambassadors_small This is one of five short segments that are standalone companion pieces to the hour-long documentary, We Knew JFK: Unheard Stories from the Kennedy Archives. As with the hour, the segments are narrated by renowned journalist Robert MacNeil, who covered Kennedy for NBC News, and was in the motorcade in Dallas.   The companion pieces are also mined from the same rich vein of first person recordings — the extraordinary Oral History collection housed at the JFK Presidential Library and Museum in Boston.

Like the hour We Knew JFK, these pieces are not about JFK's death but about his life — personal recollections of Jack Kennedy from people who knew him intimately.  The segments are free-standing and available individually, but designed to be stripped across the week, ideally Nov 18-22, when interest in JFK will peak, as the country and the world remember him on the 50th anniversary of his assassination in Dallas in 1963.

Bookworm

From WeKnewJFK.org | Part of the We Knew JFK Companion Pieces series | 03:58

Intimates of JFK remember his lifelong passion for the written word, and his startling capacity to absorb and remember what he read.

Playing
Bookworm
From
WeKnewJFK.org

Bookworm_small This is one of five short segments that are standalone companion pieces to the hour-long documentary, We Knew JFK: Unheard Stories from the Kennedy Archives. As with the hour, the segments are narrated by renowned journalist Robert MacNeil, who covered Kennedy for NBC News, and was in the motorcade in Dallas.   The companion pieces are also mined from the same rich vein of first person recordings — the extraordinary Oral History collection housed at the JFK Presidential Library and Museum in Boston.

Like the hour We Knew JFK, these pieces are not about JFK's death but about his life — personal recollections of Jack Kennedy from people who knew him intimately.  The segments are free-standing and available individually, but designed to be stripped across the week, ideally Nov 18-22, when interest in JFK will peak, as the country and the world remember him on the 50th anniversary of his assassination in Dallas in 1963.

East Wing

From WeKnewJFK.org | Part of the We Knew JFK Companion Pieces series | 03:57

Letitia Baldridge, social secretary in the Kennedy White House, remembers what it was like to be "backstage" in the magical days of Camelot.

Playing
East Wing
From
WeKnewJFK.org

East_wing_small This is one of five short segments that are standalone companion pieces to the hour-long documentary, We Knew JFK: Unheard Stories from the Kennedy Archives. As with the hour, the segments are narrated by renowned journalist Robert MacNeil, who covered Kennedy for NBC News, and was in the motorcade in Dallas.   The companion pieces are also mined from the same rich vein of first person recordings — the extraordinary Oral History collection housed at the JFK Presidential Library and Museum in Boston.

Like the hour We Knew JFK, these pieces are not about JFK's death but about his life — personal recollections of Jack Kennedy from people who knew him intimately.  The segments are free-standing and available individually, but designed to be stripped across the week, ideally Nov 18-22, when interest in JFK will peak, as the country and the world remember him on the 50th anniversary of his assassination in Dallas in 1963.

Inner Circle

From WeKnewJFK.org | Part of the We Knew JFK Companion Pieces series | 03:25

Recollections of Laura Knebel, a journalist, on JFK's web of close friendships and why there were no women in his inner circle.

Inner_circle_small This is one of five short segments that are standalone companion pieces to the hour-long documentary, We Knew JFK: Unheard Stories from the Kennedy Archives. As with the hour, the segments are narrated by renowned journalist Robert MacNeil, who covered Kennedy for NBC News, and was in the motorcade in Dallas.   The companion pieces are also mined from the same rich vein of first person recordings — the extraordinary Oral History collection housed at the JFK Presidential Library and Museum in Boston.

Like the hour We Knew JFK, these pieces are not about JFK's death but about his life — personal recollections of Jack Kennedy from people who knew him intimately.  The segments are free-standing and available individually, but designed to be stripped across the week, ideally Nov 18-22, when interest in JFK will peak, as the country and the world remember him on the 50th anniversary of his assassination in Dallas in 1963.

The Bus Driver

From WeKnewJFK.org | Part of the We Knew JFK Companion Pieces series | 03:48

Recollections of Ed Berube, a bus driver from Fall River, Mass., who worked in JFK's first campaign for elective office, in 1946, and forged an unlikely but enduring friendship with Kennedy that lasted a lifetime.

Bus_driver_small This is one of five short segments that are standalone companion pieces to the hour-long documentary, We Knew JFK: Unheard Stories from the Kennedy Archives. As with the hour, the segments are narrated by renowned journalist Robert MacNeil, who covered Kennedy for NBC News, and was in the motorcade in Dallas.   The companion pieces are also mined from the same rich vein of first person recordings — the extraordinary Oral History collection housed at the JFK Presidential Library and Museum in Boston.

Like the hour We Knew JFK
these pieces are not about JFK's death but about his life — personal recollections of Jack Kennedy from people who knew him intimately.  The segments are free-standing and available individually, but designed to be stripped across the week, ideally Nov 18-22, when interest in JFK will peak, as the country and the world remember him on the 50th anniversary of his assassination in Dallas in 1963.

Jean Shepherd remembers JFK

From MPR News Stations | 51:58

A eulogy of President John F. Kennedy by the late broadcaster Jean Shepherd, (1921-1999)

Jean_shepherd_wikipedia_small This is a seldom-heard eulogy of President John F. Kennedy by the late broadcaster Jean Shepherd, (1921-1999) who is best remembered today as the narrator of the classic film A Christmas Story. Long before the film, in the 1960s and 70s, Shepherd had a devoted following as a radio storyteller. His 45-minute nighttime show on WOR in New York could be heard throughout much of the eastern United States.

On November 25, 1963, the day Kennedy was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Shepherd set aside his trademark humor and delivered a poignant eulogy of the president. It’s punctuated with Shepherd’s mordant commentary on contemporary American life and remains fresh and relevant today.

The program is meant to air around the 50th anniversary of Kennedy’s assassination on November 22 and his funeral on November 25. A detailed introduction puts Shepherd’s work into context and includes interview excerpts from biographer Eugene Bergmann. It’s newscast compatible and includes two 60 second station breaks.

Produced by Matt Sepic of Minnesota Public Radio. 


JFK and the Arts

From Richard Paul | 08:25

A look at changes in art policy during the Kennedy Administration, narrated by Richard Dreyfuss.

No_time_for_ugliness_1_000060_small This story is narrated by Richard Dreyfuss.  We always look for clues on Inauguration Day about what the new Administration will bring.  And at his swearing-in, President Kennedy gave an unusual signal.  He let America know that – whatever else it did – the Kennedy Administration was going to spend time and attention promoting The Arts in America.  The president followed through on the promise of that inauguration.  In the thousand-or-so days before President Kennedy was killed, opera singers, ballet dancers, and some of the greatest international and American classical musicians all performed at the White House.  The famous painting, the Mona Lisa paid its first and only visit to the United States.  The shape of federal art and architecture was changed forever and the White House went through a renovation that revolutionized the way Americans thought about art history.

Concerts at the White House

From Richard Paul | 08:14

A look at concerts in the Kennedy White House, narrated by Richard Dreyfuss.

Pablo_and_marta_casals_and_kennedy_small This story is narrated by Richard Dreyfuss.  Today we consider big-name celebrity concerts broadcast from the White House to be routine.  It all started during the Kennedy Administration.  More concerts, ballets and operas were staged inside the White House for President and Mrs. Kennedy than ever had been before or ever have been since.

Peace Talks Radio: JFK's Turn Towards Peace (59:00 / 54:00)

From Good Radio Shows, Inc. | Part of the Peace Talks Radio: Weekly Hour Long Episodes series | 58:57

A conversation with James Douglass, author of "JFK and the Unspeakable: Why He Died and Why It Matters". Douglass makes the case for his theory that the 35th President was the victim of a murder conspiracy and that he died largely because of his peacemaking policies. Offered in either 59:00 or 54:00 versions.

Jfk_small In an in-depth conversation, James Douglass, author of "JFK and the Unspeakable: Why He Died and Why It Matters", spells out his theory that the 35th President was the victim of a murder conspiracy and that he died because of his peacemaking policies. He tracks Kennedy's transformation from a hawkish anti-Communist to someone who helped save the world from nuclear war by establishing back-channel conversations with Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev. Listeners will also hear much of Kennedy's 1963 speech at American University during which he laid out his vision for world peace, less than 6 months before his murder. Paul Ingles hosts. Language Advisory: A film clip includes the characters saying "Those god-damn Kennedys...." about 18:20 into Part A. If you feel it offensive to your listeners, you may edit it out or contact the producer for a version with that clip stripped out. paul@paulingles.com.

JFK White House Photographer Recalls The Day Kennedy Died

From FM Odyssey | 57:55

If you want a truly unique, refreshing, approach to the 50th anniversary of the JFK assassination, then please check this out. White House photographer Cecil Stoughton tells the story of his historic photo of Johnson being sworn in aboard Air Force One. This program is just as much about the silent hero who was behind the camera as it is about that fateful day, November 22nd, 1963. Includes several songs that enhance the listening experience.

Johnson_small The mailman knocked on my door. "Excuse me! But, can you take old record albums and make them into CD's ? I have some old Kennedy satire records that I want to give to my Dad for Christmas". "Why would you want to give him these", I asked? "Because my Dad was the White House Photographer during the Kennedy administration". 

How crazy is this? I thought!!!  And that is how it began. 


It turns out, Cecil Stoughton , lived a few miles away from me and graciously said yes, when I sent his son Jamie (the mailman) to ask him if he would do this interview with me. Cecil was turning 84 at the time in 2003 and quickly approaching, was the 40th anniversary of the Kennedy  assassination.

The stories were fresh and told from a unique perspective by someone who sees the world much differently than you and I. Through the lens of a camera. To hear him speak about the split second decisions he had to make amidst the chaos of November 22nd, 1963, was riviting. 

In addition, the stories he shared about his days as Kennedy's photographer, provides an insight and dialogue that hasn't been covered in any books written about the subject.

Cecil passed away November 3rd, 2008 at the age of 88.

This is more a celebration about a quiet hero that froze in time, images etched in our minds that will be a part of history, forever.

So, if you want something truly different and unique for your listeners, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy assassination, here it is.

 

One Day in Dallas

From KUT | 30:00

Of the many accounts of the Kennedy assassination, few are genuinely "first-hand". In this sound-rich, half-hour documentary, we relive the greatest political tragedy of a generation through the memories of two who were in the motorcade, inside Parkland Hospital, and eyewitness to the secret swearing-in of a new American president-- all on one fateful day in Dallas.

Playing
One Day in Dallas
From
KUT

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Before the afternoon of November 22nd, 1963 -- 50 years ago -- neither Sid Davis nor Julian Read could have expected what they’d be called upon to do, much less that they’d both be eyewitnesses to history.  They came from different worlds: Davis was a young radio reporter based in Washington, D.C.; Read was on the other side of the journalistic fence, serving as press aide for the top official in Texas.  Governor Connally and his wife were defacto hosts for the President and the First Lady as the motorcade wound its way toward the Dallas Trade Mart for a luncheon.  Davis and Read were in the press buses just a few car lengths back when they heard the sounds in horrifying sequence: pop--pop--pop.
After 50 years of virtual silence, Read opens up about his experiences on that momentous day in Dallas, along with veteran White House correspondent and former NBC news bureau chief Sid Davis.  It is a sound-rich half hour that will resonate with anyone who remembers 'where they were' that day, and will illuminate new colors and details lost to memory.  
This program was produced by Emily Donahue, News Director at KUT News, and written and narrated by veteran public radio journalist David Brown.