The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.“Hands Across America” was eventually released, but unlike “We Are The World” it lacked any superstar recording artists-or any industry names at all outside of the group Toto, which provided instrumental tracks. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at for further information. MCEVERS: For those of you who might be too young to remember or who just don't remember, here's one to take you out.Ĭopyright © 2016 NPR. They have no clue what I'm talking about. ZOEY BANALY: Sometimes I - when we're cruising down that road, I, you know, tell my kids, you know, that's what we did. There weren't enough people in the area to hold hands. Every so often, Zoey Banaly (ph) drives on the New Mexican highway, where she held a rope back then. MCEVERS: But some listeners try to share that moment with the next generation. He doesn't think it could happen today.ĪCOSTA: We were all more - either in our ignorance or our innocence, we were much more hopeful than the feeling today. MCEVERS: And he says it was a moment to remember.

VIC ACOSTA: I just recall it was one of the funniest and oddest and most fun moments because we got to just meet so many people. He joined in with his girlfriend and best friend. So I ran out the front door and joined hands, and I think I was probably holding hands with a lot of Japanese tourists. And she said, you can go be a part of it. And so my boss at the time was kind of stern, but that day, I was kind of excited, and she probably just saw the look on my face. But literally the day of the event, it went right in front of us on M Street. WEBSTER: I was kind of disappointed because I thought, well, I'm not going to get to do Hands Across America. She was a young intern in Washington, D.C., at the time - and scheduled to work. It was exciting to think we were going to reach across the whole nation. Some NPR listeners shared their memories of that day. There was a lot of singing, holding hands, and generally people enjoyed a beautiful day in New York City.Īll to raise money for hunger and homelessness. MARGOT ADLER, BYLINE: Most people I talked to said they felt goosebumps.

In New York, NPR's Margot Adler captured the moment. MCEVERS: Reporter Steve Futterman standing at the western edge of the largest human chain in history, as far as we can tell - over 6 million people from coast-to-coast holding hands and singing songs. With the Queen Mary and a clear, blue California summer sky as a backdrop and the mood clearly celebratory, thousands came to form the western end of Hands Across America. STEVE FUTTERMAN, BYLINE: To the shores of the Pacific they came to hold hands with the Queen Mary hold hands. If you were listening to ALL THINGS CONSIDERED 30 years ago today, this is what you would've heard.

Joining hands around the world