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Radio History: March On Washington Recalled Forty years ago Thursday, radio storyteller Jean Shepherd took a crowded bus from New York City to participate in the March on Washington. The next day, he went on the air and shared the experience from his perspective in the crowds. He had been surprised by the good-natured attitude of most of the demonstrators, and by how they had been received by regular people walking around in the city. We hear an excerpt from his broadcast of Aug. 29, 1963.
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Radio History: March On Washington Recalled

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Radio History: March On Washington Recalled

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Radio History: March On Washington Recalled

Heard on All Things Considered

Radio History: March On Washington Recalled

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Jean Shepherd, speaking to the Overseas Press Club in 1970. hide caption

Credit: Courtesy flicklives.com
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Forty years ago Thursday, radio storyteller Jean Shepherd took a crowded bus from New York City to participate in the March on Washington. The next day, he went on the air and shared the experience from his perspective in the crowds. He had been surprised by the good-natured attitude of most of the demonstrators, and by how they had been received by regular people walking around in the city. We hear an excerpt from his broadcast of Aug. 29, 1963.

Clarification Aug. 26, 2013

Audio of Jean Shepherd used in this story is drawn from a 1999 NPR-KCRW joint production, A Voice In The Night, produced by Harry Shearer, and from Shearer's personal audio collection.