The Jean Shepherd Show (WOR) 1964 /07/21 "The Harlem Riots Of 1964" (or) "Be Pr…

Jean Shepherd

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The Jean Shepherd Show (WOR-AM/FM)  Original Transmission Date: 07/21/1964 "The Harlem Riots of 1964" (or) "Be Prepared" "It's one of those times"....  Humorist Jean Shepherd laments that  "There's a peculiar atmosphere in New York & the world--- It's as though mankind is about to explode in nine million directions..." In the wake of the recent death of George Floyd & the ensuing world wide demonstrations & riots that followed it, I am taken back to this "Summer of '64" episode of "The Jean Shepherd Show".   Shepherd is at times, almost like a profit that works in reverse & hearing this episode is like a glance into the rear-view mirror of history. It's a thought-provoking & timely episode with a couple of laughs yet more interestingly; Shep questions many prophetic things that are still (sadly) happening & seemingly relevant to us today. There are many questions we should be asking now. Are we advancing or regressing? He reminds us that nearly everything we see in news & media is presented to us " vicariously ". Should we question what we are seeing & why are we seeing it?  What's the difference between real & right? " Newspaper Talk " might just as well be Shep's phrase for " fake news ". Shep also points out ( historically ) how little understanding humans have in the events they take part in.  The episode starts out like a typical Tuesday night Jean Shepherd show yet captures a moment in time. The Broadcast was interrupted twice for WOR reporter John Wingate & his continuing  news coverage of the Harlem uprising. The tragic events began on July 16, 1964 when 15-year-old James Powell was shot & killed by a white off-duty police Lieutenant (Thomas Gilligan) in front of Powell's friends & about a dozen other witnesses. The Harlem community was infuriated by the murder which it viewed as an unnecessary example of police brutality. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harlem_riot_of_1964 This show, was broadcast "live" on the sixth night of the conflict. The Black Nationalist Party was on the scene addressing the assembled crowd, when members of the group started to become agitated. Despite the speaker trying to convince the crowd to remain calm, the rioting started again & police charged the mob with nightsticks while angry rioters threw bottles & dropped debris on them. In the second news report we hear how the police charged that mob, making no apparent distinction between enemies or innocents. John Wingate reports ( presumably ) under the protection of the police. Everything was under control by 2 A.M. on Wednesday.  Coming out of that second news break we hear something that is truly a rare occurrence in broadcasting history.... Jean Shepherd it seems.... was momentarily at a loss for words! " Here we are in the middle of it & we are all part of it....  Nobody escapes history, you know. "  ---Jean Shepherd NOTE: These are edited broadcast highlights ( with slightly improved audio ) to fit within a 30-minute time slot. A bit of historic Americana from America's foremost 20th century humorist.  a Trix ReMix

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.