Hands Across America
Hands Across America | |
---|---|
Dates | May 25, 1986 |
Location(s) | Across the contiguous United States |
Founded by | Ken Kragen |
Hands Across America was a public fundraising event held on Sunday, May 25, 1986, Memorial Day weekend, which attempted to create a continuous human chain of people held hands across the contiguous United States. While approximately 5.5 million people participated, the chain was broken in many places, particularly in the Southwestern desert. The number of participants would have been roughly sufficient to create an unbroken chain if they had been spread out evenly along the planned route, but most joined the chain in major cities and few traveled to more remote areas. The various gaps in the line between participants were filled using ribbons, ropes, or banners.
Participants were encouraged to donate $10 to be assigned a place in the line. The proceeds were donated to local charities to fight hunger and homelessness and help those in poverty. The event raised about $15 million for charities after operating costs, significantly less than organizers had hoped to collect.
Event
Conception and promotion
The event was promoted and organized by
Hands Across America was unrelated to a previous, unsuccessful project of the same name which attempted to organize a human chain across the country to mark the Bicentennial on July 4, 1976. The 1976 plan was unable to raise enough funds and succeeded only in setting up approximately 8 to 10 miles of chains in and around Chicago.[7] USA for Africa organizers said that they had never heard of the earlier effort until after announcing their plan. Marvin J. Rosenblum, who had conceived of the idea in 1975 and spent a year trying to bring it to fruition, said he found it "hard to believe" that no one in the organization remembered his heavily promoted campaign. However, he was unable to take legal action because his trademark on the name "Hands Across America" had since expired.[1]
A
Individual participants in Hands Across America were asked to donate $10 for the opportunity to join the chain, although many people who had not paid joined the line anyway. Celebrities and companies could sponsor portions of the line at a cost of $13,200 per mile, since it was estimated that 1,320 people would be needed to cover a mile of the route. Recording artist Prince was reportedly the first person to "buy a mile" in this way.[13]
Organization
While celebrities and corporate sponsorships publicized Hands Across America, the task of planning for a transcontinental chain of people fell mostly to political organizers. Fred Droz, a former Democratic Party "advance man" who had become disillusioned with politics after the defeat of Jimmy Carter, became the project's national director.[15] Donna Brazile, future chair of the Democratic National Committee, was the director of Hands Across America in Washington, D.C.[16] Kragen compared the structure of the organization to "pyramid selling", with organizers at the state, regional, and local levels responsible for smaller and smaller segments of the chain, then "mile captains" overseeing each mile and "tenth-of-a-mile captains" at the lowest level.[17][18]
Particularly in rural and remote areas, organizing the chain required significant logistical efforts. People in cities not along the route were encouraged to apply for an assignment to a place in line, typically a small town a several-hour drive away. An optimal assignment of people to segments of the line was computed by Figi's, a subsidiary of mail-order house Fingerhut in Marshfield, Wisconsin, straining the capabilities of computer technology of the time: Figi's replaced a previous contractor that had been unable to keep up with the volume of applications. These route assignments were then mailed to applicants, along with a packet of instructions on how to get there and where to park, about a week before the event. A less sophisticated alternative was offered by Ticketmaster, which directed callers on its toll-free numbers to spots on the line immediately upon calling.[19]
Bus rides were organized to transport large groups of people to distant spots along the route.
The day of
In the days leading up to the event, organizers announced that those who had not donated would not be turned away from joining hands, in the hopes of encouraging more participation and creating a more complete chain of people.
Participants were encouraged to bring portable radios and boomboxes so they could listen to a nationwide
Route
The eastern end of the chain was at
The date and time chosen for the event inadvertently conflicted with another charity fundraiser, Sport Aid, a global event organized by USA for Africa on the same day. Since Hands Across America was much better publicized in the United States, only 4,000 runners participated the New York City portion for Sport Aid, which coincided with a special session on world hunger at the United Nations.[29]
In New Jersey, the route passed through Newark, New Brunswick, Princeton, and Trenton.[30] At Drumthwacket, the New Jersey governor's mansion in Princeton, Governor Thomas Kean was joined by Senator Frank Lautenberg and Joan Rivers.[31]
In
Due to a high level of interest in South Jersey, a spur was added to the route, crossing the Benjamin Franklin Bridge from Philadelphia into Camden, New Jersey and extending southeast as far as Haddonfield before looping back into Pennsylvania.[34] Dionne Warwick joined the line on the Benjamin Franklin Bridge,[35] while Tony Danza and Lainie Kazan participated in Camden.[36]
At Delaware Park near Wilmington, horse racing was suspended for 15 minutes so that the line could cross through the racetrack.[37][38] Pedestrians were not permitted to stand on the Thomas J. Hatem Memorial Bridge between Perryville and Havre de Grace, Maryland, so a group of scuba divers connected the line underneath the surface of the Susquehanna River.[39] In Baltimore, the line passed by the Inner Harbor and Pratt Street Power Plant.[40][41]
In
The easternmost reported gaps in the chain were in western Maryland. A seven-mile segment along Route 355 southeast of Frederick was canceled entirely because it was considered too dangerous, and further breaks were observed in Hagerstown. The Maryland state director of Hands Across America said that 90 percent of the route through the state was covered.[41]
The line was initially intended to pass through the playing field of
The greatest number of participants in the chain of any state were in Ohio, where the route zig-zagged from
The event fell on the same day as the Indianapolis 500, leading to concerns about the logistics of bringing the route through Indianapolis.[2] Avoiding any problems near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the route passed through only the northeastern corner of the city near Lawrence.[60] The Indy 500 was rained out and postponed until the following weekend, while the weather also caused lower turnout than expected for the city's segment of Hands Across America.[61][62] A widely reported human-interest story was that of the small town of Denver, Indiana, where thousands of residents of the larger city of Fort Wayne were expected to join the line, and the route was extended through Denver to accommodate them.[2][60] However, turnout there also fell well below expectations and the original route bypassing Denver was used instead.[61] Both the weather and the continuity of the line were better in northern Indiana,[61] where the route crossed through South Bend,[63] Michigan City, and Gary.[64][65]
In Chicago, Illinois, the route ran up King Drive and Michigan Avenue to the Oak Street Beach and Lincoln Park, proceeding from there to the western and southwestern suburbs.[66] Notable participants in the city included Oprah Winfrey at Cermak Road, mayor Harold Washington on a stretch of Michigan Avenue lined with over 1,000 city employees, Illinois governor James R. Thompson and Super Bowl XX champion quarterback Jim McMahon on the Magnificent Mile, Senator Alan J. Dixon in Lincoln Park, and Cardinal Joseph Bernardin in Orland Park.[67][68]
The route through central Illinois passed through Champaign, Decatur,[69] and the state capitol of Springfield. The Illinois Department of Transportation forbid pedestrians from standing in intersections during the event, so duct tape was laid down along crosswalks and participants held either end of the tape.[69] The small town of Onarga rejected event organizers, and participants who were supposed to be bussed there were redirected to other areas.[70] In Champaign, where the 1985 Chicago Bears had trained for their successful Super Bowl run four months earlier, Walter Payton sponsored a mile of the line, but was unable to attend due to the team's spring practice in Platteville, Wisconsin.[71]
The line crossed the
At
In Memphis, the line passed down historic Beale Street, where people grabbed the hands and ankles of the Elvis Presley statue to include him in the chain.[79][82] Ruby Wilson joined in front of the W. C. Handy statue nearby.[2] Other notable participants in the city included Mel Tillis, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins.[81]
In and around St. Francis County, Arkansas, one of the poorest regions in the country, the chain was unbroken between West Memphis and Forrest City,[83] but some of the largest gaps in the state appeared west of Forrest City.[82] At the state capitol in Little Rock, governor and future president Bill Clinton, his wife Hillary Clinton and their daughter Chelsea joined the chain. The line also passed through the wards of Arkansas Children's Hospital.[83]
The longest segment of the route was in Texas, stretching over 600 miles from
Kenny Rogers and Lee Greenwood stood on the back of a flatbed truck straddling the border between Texas and New Mexico in the ghost town of Glenrio.[42] Rogers had been featured in television commercials for Hands Across America, telling viewers "Don't leave me alone out there."[89] Thousands of people gathered in and around Glenrio,[18] and the band Renegade performed for the crowd there.[88]
In
The largest gaps appeared in Arizona, where the line crossed through hundreds of miles of desert. Two months before the event, a widely quoted
In Blythe, California, an estimated 10,000 people gathered from the Arizona state border to downtown, including Senator Alan Cranston, Bo Derek, Shelley Duvall, and Anson Williams.[99][100] The segment of the route through the Colorado Desert from Blythe to Indio was canceled due to concerns about extreme heat, and a "human energy ribbon" stretched across this 100-mile gap.[101][102] However, hundreds of people still turned out in 100-degree heat in Desert Center, near the middle of the canceled stretch, joined by the band REO Speedwagon.[100] Scattered chains of people participated throughout the Coachella Valley in Indio, Palm Desert, and Palm Springs, where temperatures reached as high as 104 degrees on the day of the event.[99] Gerald Ford and Frank Sinatra were among them in Rancho Mirage.[103]
Bob Seger and Charlene Tilton joined the chain in Riverside.[104] Inside the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, televangelist Rev. Robert Schuller led 3,000 parishioners in joining hands, including Pat Boone and state attorney general John Van de Kamp.[105] In Anaheim, Disneyland allowed the line to enter its gates, where park employees and their family members joined hands with costumed characters and Walt Disney Company president Frank Wells.[2]
The western end of the route was in
Number of participants
The following table compares the estimates made by Hands Across America organizers of the number of people needed ahead of the event[111] and of the number of people who actually participated.[2][22] The total number of participants came close to the estimated total that would have been needed for a single unbroken chain across the country, with estimates of both ranging from 5.4 to 5.7 million. However, many of these participants were in crowds in major cities, where there were often multiple parallel chains, while more remote areas had few or no people present.
State | Miles on route | People needed | Participants | Turnout percentage |
---|---|---|---|---|
New York | 25 | 33,000 | 150,000 | 454.5% |
New Jersey | 88 | 116,160 | 200,000 | 172.2% |
Pennsylvania | 298 | 393,360 | 571,000 | 145.2% |
Delaware | 32 | 42,240 | 68,000 | 161.0% |
Maryland | 164 | 216,480 | 180,000 | 83.1% |
D.C. | 20 | 26,400 | 250,000 | 947.0% |
Ohio | 599 | 790,680 | 901,960 | 114.1% |
Indiana | 274 | 361,680 | 350,000 | 96.8% |
Illinois | 333 | 439,560 | 500,000 | 113.8% |
Missouri | 150 | 198,000 | 220,000 | 111.1% |
Kentucky | 52 | 68,640 | 64,000 | 93.2% |
Tennessee | 125 | 165,000 | 180,000 | 109.1% |
Arkansas | 322 | 425,040 | 350,000 | 82.3% |
Texas | 621 | 819,720 | 620,000 | 75.6% |
New Mexico | 373 | 492,360 | 238,000 | 48.3% |
Arizona | 492 | 649,440 | 200,000 | 30.8% |
California | 346 | 462,640 | 400,000 | 86.5% |
Total | 4,314 | 5,700,600 | 5,442,960 | 95.0% |
Related events
Numerous other human chains were staged across the country at the same time as Hands Across America, most of them raising money for local charities or for the official Hands Across America fund.
The day before the official event, a chain stretching the length of the
Legacy
Organizers had hoped that Hands Across America would raise between $50 million and $100 million, making it one of the largest charity fundraisers in history. Ahead of the event, Ken Kragen downplayed these expectations, saying "Ten million is a success. Twenty million is an extreme success. Fifty million would basically parallel or outdo 'We Are the World'."[117] The total amount of donations was estimated at $36.4 million, with $27.8 million coming from individuals and another $8.6 million donated by corporations.[118] After covering operating costs, this left approximately $15 million to be distributed to charities. The process of paying the organization's bills and choosing recipient charities took months, and by the end of 1986, no funds had been distributed, drawing criticism from charity groups.[119] The first batch of grants was given out in January 1987, and the last of the remaining money was distributed in November of that year. In selecting charities to receive the money, USA for Africa generally preferred those seeking to produce long-term changes rather than those aiming to provide immediate relief.[120][121]
Hands Across America was among the last of a series of widely publicized, celebrity-sponsored charity events in the mid-1980s, following Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?", USA for Africa's "We Are the World", Live Aid, Farm Aid, and Comic Relief USA. By the time Hands Across America was staged, many Americans were growing skeptical of the effectiveness and purpose of these events, and organizers of such events grew concerned that their appeals could have diminishing returns. Live Aid organizer Bob Geldof announced in October 1985 that he would step back from charity work, saying that "compassion fatigue has very much set in".[122] Geldof's comment and the term "compassion fatigue" were frequently used by media outlets in questioning whether Hands Across America's efforts to raise awareness would have any long-term impact.[15] Peter Hansen of UNICEF warned that "we're quickly going to reach the saturation point".[123] A scathing article about Hands Across America and similar events in The New Republic went further, arguing that this wave of celebrity charity events reflected a loss of faith in the ability of politicians and government institutions to solve problems, and was doomed to fail because it could not command the amount of money or long-term focus needed for significant change.[124]
After the runaway success of "We Are the World" and the more modest fundraising of Hands Across America, the USA for Africa Foundation adopted a lower profile, moving out of its offices in Century City and cutting operating costs.[125] Its next fundraising effort, "Brands Across America", encouraged shoppers to send in proof-of-purchase of food products, in exchange for which the manufacturer would donate a portion of the proceeds to USA for Africa.[120]
Hands Across America has occasionally been featured in popular culture, often as a symbol of nostalgia for the 1980s. In a 1992 episode of The Simpsons, "Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?", Homer Simpson remembers sitting on the couch while his wife and children, along with the Flanders and Lovejoy families, participate in the event, watching a television which reports that "except for large gaps in the western states, Hands Across America was a complete success". A human chain reminiscent of Hands Across America features in the music video for Michael Jackson's 2001 song "Cry". A 2016 episode of The Goldbergs, set in suburban Philadelphia in the 1980s, centers around characters joining the event. In Season 1, Episode 7 of New Amsterdam, Dr. Iggy Frome, played by Tyler Labine, likens a chain of liver transplants to "Hands Across America, but with livers."
Hands Across America has also been used as a satirical symbol, most notably in the 2019 American horror film Us, directed by Jordan Peele. Peele was inspired by the "eerie imagery" of Hands Across America commercials, as the initiative struck him to be more "for the people who are holding hands to cure hunger than for the people who are hungry themselves."[126] In the movie, Hands Across America inspires the Tethered to overthrow their unwitting oppressors and form a human chain of their own.
See also
References
- ^ a b McDougal, Dennis. "Hands Across America: Can Ken Kragen Make It Work?", Los Angeles Times, November 24, 1985, Calendar, page 5.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-671-63118-5
- ^ Rosenberg, Carol. "Latest hunger-relief event: human chain of 6-million", United Press International, via the Tampa Bay Times, October 23, 1985, page 2D.
- ^ Hinckley, David. "Handy idea", New York Daily News, October 23, 1985, page 4.
- ^ Archives, L. A. Times (April 30, 1986). "Ticketmaster Reaches Out as Hands Across America Sponsor". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
- ^ "Great Shakes: 'Hands Across America' 20 Years Later". ABC News. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
- ^ Van, Jon. "Hands across America falls far short of goal", Chicago Tribune, July 4, 1976, Section 1, page 8.
- ^ McDougal, Dennis. "Stars Ante Up for Hands Across America", Los Angeles Times, January 17, 1986, Part II, page 10.
- ^ "Hands across America / We are the world", American Archive of Public Broadcasting.
- ^ Churm, Steven R. "All of Taft's a Stage – and Proud of It", Los Angeles Times, January 19, 1986, Part I, pages 3 and 34.
- ^ McDougal, Dennis. "'Hands' song in limbo at Jackson's urging", Los Angeles Times, January 28, 1986, Calendar, pages 1 and 5.
- ^ McDougal, Dennis. "USA for Africa: A Shift Back to the USA", Los Angeles Times, January 26, 1986, Calendar, pages 3 and 4.
- ^ a b McDougal, Dennis. "The good 'Hands' people look again to radio", Los Angeles Times, March 27, 1986, Calendar, pages 1 and 6.
- ^ Billboard Hot 100, Week of May 17, 1986, Billboard, Web.
- ^ a b Bell, Joseph N. "The Battle Against Deprivation, on a Small Scale and Large", Los Angeles Times, March 27, 1986, Web. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
- ^ "Reagan lending hand with hunger campaign", Associated Press, via Lincoln Journal, May 24, 1986, front page.
- Washington Post, May 2, 1986, Web. Retrieved February 9, 1986.
- ^ a b c d "Hands: 238,000 take part in New Mexico", Associated Press, via Deming Headlight, May 27, 1986, page 5.
- Akron Beacon-Journal, May 11, 1986, page A4.
- ^ Kodrich, Kris. "Hands Across America: More than charity; good feeling lingers", Wisconsin State Journal, May 27, 1986, Section 3, page 1.
- ^ Merzer, Martin. "Town opens heart to 'Hands' invasion", Springfield News-Sun, May 25, 1986, page 7D.
- ^ a b c McDougal, Dennis. "Hands has a head count, but no $ums", Los Angeles Times, May 30, 1986, Part VI, pages 1, 12, and 23.
- ^ Cincinnati Enquirer, May 25, 1986, front page and page A-4.
- ^ List of sources for event route
- ^ a b "Across most of the U.S., the good hands stretched", New York Daily News, May 26, 1986, pages 3 and 6.
- ^ Starita, Joe. "America lends a helping hand: Rich, poor alike line N.Y. streets", Miami Herald, May 26, 1986, front page and page 6A.
- ^ "From sea to shining sea: Local supporters lend their hands", Mamaroneck Daily Times, May 26, 1986, front page and page 5.
- ^ Bell, Charles W. "United they stand on aid", New York Daily News, May 25, 1986, pages 3 and 31.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
- ^ Jaeger, Barbara. "Hands across Bergen", The Record, May 25, 1986, page A-26.
- ^ Gold, Jeffrey. "America links hands to forge aid chain", Asbury Park Press, May 25, 1986, front page and page A2.
- Philadelphia Inquirer, May 25, 1986, pages 1-B and page 2-B.
- Philadelphia Inquirer, May 25, 1986, pages 1-A and page 8-A.
- Philadelphia Inquirer, May 18, 1986, pages 4-GL and page 5-GL.
- Press of Atlantic City, May 25, 1986, front page and page A12.
- Camden Courier-Post, May 25, 1986, front page and page 8A.
- Wilmington Morning News, May 23, 1986, pages D1 and page 8-A.
- Wilmington Morning News, May 26, 1986, page A3.
- Wilmington Morning News, May 26, 1986, page A2.
- Baltimore Sun, May 23, 1986, page B2.
- ^ Baltimore Sun, May 26, 1986, pages 1A and page 6A.
- ^ a b c Phillips, Jim. "Fighting hunger: Fund-raiser organizers remain optimistic", Austin American-Statesman, May 26, 1986, front page and page 12A.
- Atlanta Journal-Constitution, May 26, 1986, pages 1A and 2A.
- Spokane Chronicle, May 22, 1986, page A9.
- Palm Springs Desert Sun, May 24, 1986, front page.
- Press of Atlantic City, May 25, 1986, page A12.
- ^ Vancheri, Barbara. "It's Hands Across Three Rivers Stadium after all", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 20, 1986, page 4.
- .
- ^ Vancheri, Barbara. "We did it, hands down", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 26, 1986, pages 17 and 18.
- Pittsburgh Press, May 23, 1986, pages C1 and C4.
- Youngstown Vindicator, May 26, 1986, pages 1 and 6.
- ^ Haferd, Laura. "Bracing for the Hands jam", Akron Beacon Journal, May 22, 1986, front page and page A15.
- Toledo Blade, May 6, 1986, page 17.
- ^ "Activities worth remembering", Dayton Daily News, May 25, 1986, page 1D.
- ^ Mansfield News-Journal, May 25, 1986, front page and page 10-A.
- ^ Brown, Joe. "People Magazine expresses interest in city's part in Hands Across America", Fremont News-Messenger, May 20, 1986, front page.
- ^ Spenner, Jean. "County to get national attention", Fremont News-Messenger, May 23, 1986, front page and page A-2.
- Albuquerque Tribune, May 26, 1986, page A-2.
- ^ "Ohio had most hands, plus fins, in fund-raiser", Associated Press, via Dayton Daily News, May 26, 1986, page 4.
- ^ a b "Hands Across America to share Race Day", Indianapolis News, May 23, 1986, page 14.
- ^ Indianapolis Star, May 26, 1986, front page and page 8.
- ^ "1986: Hands Across America winds through the Hoosier State". WRTV. May 20, 2021. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
- ^ Falda, Wayne. "Last-minute callers jam lines to Hands Across America", South Bend Tribune, May 22, 1986, page B1.
- ^ Cloyd, Elizabeth. "Hands Across America: 22,000 expected to form Porter County line", Vidette-Messenger of Porter County, May 24, 1986, front page.
- ^ Mitchell, Kerry. "'Hands' to follow safe street route", The Times of Northwest Indiana, May 21, 1986, front page and page A-14.
- ^ Dold, R. Bruce, and Michael Arndt. "Hands Across America getting grip on reality", Chicago Tribune, May 21, 1986, front page and Section 1, page 2.
- ^ Dold, R. Bruce. "More hands on deck for charity", Chicago Tribune, May 24, 1986, Section 1, page 5.
- ^ Seigenthaler, Katherine, and Don Terry. "Millions line up to join hands and hearts", Chicago Tribune, May 26, 1986, front page and Section 3, page 14.
- ^ Decatur Herald and Review, May 24, 1986, page A3.
- Bloomington Pantagraph, May 28, 1986, page A2.
- Decatur Herald and Review, May 25, 1986, page A4.
- ^ The Southeast Missourian, May 27, 1986, pages 1 and 2.
- ^ Smith, Bill. "'For Brief Moment, We Were One': Poignant Sights Abound From The Arch To Arnold", St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 26, 1986, front page and page 10A.
- ^ Smith, Bill. "Lined Up: Volunteers Rushing To Join 'Hands' Chain", St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 22, 1986, front page and page 8A.
- ^ Smith, Bill. "Caring Hands Try To Break Chain Of Hunger", St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 25, 1986, front page and page 8A.
- The Southeast Missourian, May 27, 1986, pages 1 and 2.
- The Southeast Missourian, May 22, 1986, page 8D.
- ^ "More than 60,000 help link Kentucky's hands", Mayfield Messenger, May 26, 1986, front page.
- ^ Memphis Commercial Appeal, May 25, 1986, front page and page A7.
- Memphis Commercial Appeal, May 26, 1986, page C10.
- ^ a b "State's director predicts full line", The Jackson Sun, May 25, 1986, page 9A.
- ^ Memphis Commercial Appeal, May 26, 1986, front page and page A12.
- ^ a b "Estimated 295,000 to 320,000 participate in line across state", Associated Press, via Baxter Bulletin, May 26, 1986, front page and page A7.
- ^ "Tarrant will be in line with 300,000 hands", Fort Worth Star-Telegram, May 25, 1986, front page and page 12A.
- ^ "Texans join 'Hands'", Longview News-Journal, May 26, 1986, front page.
- ^ Sanchez, Carlos. "Handholding breaks ice in panhandle", Austin American-Statesman, May 26, 1986, page A12.
- Wichita Falls Record News, May 24, 1986, front page and page 12A.
- ^ a b "Singers joining event", Longview Morning Journal, May 25, 1986, page 1-D.
- South Florida Sun-Sentinel, May 18, 1986, page 9E.
- ^ a b c Locke, Patrice. "Stars Will Help Fill Line Across N.M.", Albuquerque Journal, May 24, 1986, page A3.
- ^ "Hands Across America: A Super Stunt To Help the Nation's Needy", Albuquerque Journal, May 18, 1986, pages D1 and D6.
- ^ "State Lends 476,000 Hands", Albuquerque Journal, May 26, 1986, front page and page 12A.
- ^ Arizona Republic, May 24, 1986, page G13.
- Arizona Republic, May 26, 1986, page A6.
- Arizona Republic, March 30, 1986, page F1.
- Arizona Republic, May 22, 1986, page B1.
- Arizona Republic, May 26, 1986, front page and page A6.
- ^ Palm Springs Desert Sun, May 26, 1986, front page and page A-2.
- ^ San Pedro News-Pilot, May 26, 1986, front page and page A3.
- Petaluma Argus-Courier, May 22, 1986, page 3.
- Palm Springs Desert Sun, May 26, 1986, front page and page A-2.
- UPI, May 25, 1986, Web. Accessed February 6, 2024.
- ^ "Heavy celebrity turnout for 'Hands'", Associated Press, Peninsula Times-Tribune, May 22, 1986, page A-10.
- ^ Sacramento Bee, May 25, 1986, front page and page A31.
- ^ a b c d e "Jackson Criticizes Reagan's Presence in 'Hands' Event as 'Obscene'", Los Angeles Times, May 25, 1986, Part I, page 16.
- ^ "Right on the Line: Sherman Oaks Residents Play Host to Hands Across the Valley", Los Angeles Times, May 26, 1986, Part II, page 6.
- ^ King, Peter H., and Dennis McDougal. "Reagan Signs Up for Hands Across America: Last-Minute Push for Recruits", Los Angeles Times, May 24, 1986, front page and Part I, Page 24.
- Vancouver Columbian, May 26, 1986, front page and page A3.
- ^ "PAPA DOO RUN RUN - California Beach Party Band - Beach Boys tribute band, Re-creating the hits of the Beach Boys, Classic Rock, Surf music, Surf band, California Music - it's all there".
- Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, May 25, 1986, page 7A.
- Boston Globe, May 26, 1986, front page and page 23.
- ^ "Hands Across Massachusetts Signs 2,500", Associated Press, via Athol Daily News, May 21, 1986, page 16.
- ^ Jupiter, Harry. "Hands across the water: A Golden Gate get-together", San Francisco Examiner, May 25, 1986, front page and page A-24.
- ^ Fleeman, Michael. "Help for Hands reaches into Rahway prison yard", Associated Press, via The Register (Monmouth County, N.J.), May 21, 1986, front page.
- ^ "Hands reached into prisons, along beaches", Associated Press, via Wausau Daily Herald, May 26, 1986, page 6B.
- ^ Associated Press (May 25, 1986). "Hands more than just a publicity stunt". The Spokesman-Review. p. A14.
- ^ Associated Press (June 12, 1986). "$36.4 million pledged to aid America's poor". The Fresno Bee. p. A3.
- ^ McDougal, Dennis (December 24, 1986). "Group asks 'Hands' to spend funds". Los Angeles Times. Part VI, pp. 1 and 12.
- ^ a b McDougal, Dennis (February 1, 1987). "Brand Aid: Hands Across a New Campaign". Los Angeles Times. Part VI, p. 3.
- ^ "Grant to Aid Homeless". Los Angeles Times. November 24, 1987. Part II, p. 2.
- ^ "'Compassion fatigue' overtakes Bob Geldof". Red Deer Advocate. October 21, 1985. p. 7C.
- ^ Jaeger, Barbara (March 9, 1986). "Rock charities losing impact?". The Record. p. A-1 and [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/140585550/ A-16.
- ^ Kaus, Mickey (February 23, 1986). "Age of Celebritics". The New Republic. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
- ^ McDougal, Dennis (May 24, 1987). "Letting Go: A Year Later, Hands Across America Goes Low Profile". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
- ^ Piepenburg, Erik (March 26, 2019). "'Us' Took Hands Across America and Made It a Death Grip". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2024.