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WYSO's Sonic 60th: Local Reaction To The 1963 Birmingham Bombing

WYSO went on the air 60 years ago, and we’re listening back to audio from our collection.

On September 15, 1963, white supremacists bombed the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Twenty-two people were injured, and four little girls were killed. This act of terror 55 years ago was a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement, and communities across the country held memorial services to honor the dead and galvanize their commitments to racial equality.

A week after the bombing, a somber march was held in Yellow Springs. WYSO reporter Bruce Havens was there. Former Antioch College professor Walter Anderson, along with villagers in Yellow Springs held a memorial service for the four children killed in the Birmingham church bombing. 

You can record a birthday greeting for WYSO.  Here's how:Plan a message about 90 seconds long.  You can start it like this:

Hi, my name is _______________ and I’m from ________________.  I’ve been listening to WYSO since_______________ and  (pick one): 

  • My favorite memory of WYSO is_________________
  • I hope WYSO never loses its ______________________
  • The funniest thing I ever heard on WYSO is _______________________
  • Listening to WYSO has been important to me over the years because_____________________.
  • WYSO is different from other radio stations because_________________.

…or craft your own message.

Record this on the voice memo app on your phone.  Send that to: wyso@wyso.org

OR  if you don’t want to use a voice memo app on your smart phone, call this number and record your message.  937-769-1374.

 

Copyright 2021 WYSO. To see more, visit WYSO.

Neenah Ellis is the general manager at WYSO. She began her radio career in high school, working at her parents’ commercial radio station in Valparaiso, Indiana. She came to WYSO in 2009 after 30 years as a radio documentary producer in Washington, D.C. She’ s been a producer for “ All Things Considered” at NPR and has won three Peabody Awards, broadcasting’ s highest honor, for her work. She is also the author of “ If I Live to be 100: Lessons from the Centenarians,” which is based on her radio series about people 100 years of age.
Jocelyn Robinson is a Yellow Springs, OH-based educator, independent media producer, and radio preservationist.