Look under the “your experience” tab for a new posting from Edie Toney.  More coming soon…

JH

A new story has posted under the “Your Experience” tab.  This one is from Bill Bagley, who was overseas when the explosion in Richmond happened.  This particular story struck me for its portrait of the times of 1968: without cell phones, email, or other modes of communication we now take for granted, news of loved ones was harder to get in a timely fashion.  Reading Bill’s post, I got a sense of how agonizing it was to wait without knowing how family members were.  Makes you appreciate, all the more, the little cellphone gadgets we take so much for granted now.

- JH

Many people have expressed interest in the book that was produced shortly after the explosion: Death in a Sunny Street.  The book is comprised of photographs — most by Ralph Pyle, some by Bill Weaver and others — and shorts passages of text describing the photographs.  At the time this book was produced, the cause of the explosion had not yet been determined.  However, the book does give a look at what the explosion was like, and the efforts that went into rescue and recovery.  Also, for the many people who have asked, the book lists the names of all who were killed in the explosion (this is on page 123).

If you click on this link Death in a Sunny Street you will be directed to a list of items in the digital collection at Morrison Reeves Library.  The first item on the list is the book; click on it, and you will go to a digitized version of the book.  You can actually read, page by page, through the book.   It’s not quite the same as holding the book in your hand, but it does make for a fascinating read.

On another book note: even as we move into the post-production phase of the film, I’m beginning work on my own book about the explosion.  Chapter one is underway…

JH
7-2-07

It has been only a few days since we announced the making of the documentary film 1:47, but already the interest in the film is very high. Stories continue to come in from people across the country with memories, images, sounds, and feelings from April 6, 1968. When we began the work on this film, we knew that a lot of stories would come forward.

One of our projects as a production team is to collect and share these stories as much as we can. With that thought in mind, we are hosting a day in the WCTV studios in Richmond, Indiana and inviting you to tell your story on camera. We will be scheduling ten-minute on-camera interviews from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. We are asking you to pre-register for specific times prior to the special studio day, so that you won’t be kept waiting for your time on camera.

To schedule a time to tell your story on film,
please call Jean Harper at 765-973-8571.

In the event that all available times are filled when you call, we will create a waiting list for a second day of filming. It’s very important to us that we give you a chance to share your story. Registrations for the studio day will be taken in the order they are received.

Some suggestions for The Studio Day:

Tell your story naturally as you would tell a friend or loved one.

You don’t need to write your story and read from it; it’s much better if we hear your natural speaking voice.

Avoid wearing black, white, checks or patterns. A neutral color is best.

It’s okay to practice your story ahead of time. But remember to be yourself.

We will ask you to sign a “release” form before you tell your story. This simply means that you agree to allow the production team to place part or all of your story on the final DVD version of the film, as it fits best.

It has been not even three days since the launching of this website and already the responses have been remarkable. We have received over 85 posts on the “Your Experience” page, and it’s not an overstatement to report that each story is deeply moving, providing a window into the experiences and effects of the explosion in downtown Richmond on April 6, 1968. As I read over these stories, I am struck once again by the heroism, the generosity, and the grace of the people of Richmond, Indiana. Our city is a place of unusual character, and it is made such by those who call it home.

In the next few weeks and months, we will be posting excerpts from some of the stories we have received. My hope is that these excerpts will encourage more people to send us their stories, as well as spark memories of that time.

To those who have already posted, our thanks go out to you for your words.