topic Re: Living/Witnessing History in Community Chat

Living/Witnessing History

Marp — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 22:34:29 GMT

When/what did you first become aware that you were witnessing/living history?

For me it was the launch of Sputnik I in 1957.

Re: Living/Witnessing History

MyGirlsMom — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 22:36:43 GMT

I think the one that stands out in my mind the most was, 9/11.

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cherry — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 22:36:58 GMT

The day Kennedy was shot. I was too young to give sputnick much notice

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Greeneyedlady21 — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 22:39:41 GMT

First was probably the Challenger explosion. Most powerful for me was 9/11.

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Mj12 — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 22:40:48 GMT

Challenger was the first, I was home sick from school watching tv.

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Kindaglitzy — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 22:41:17 GMT

I was in grade school when Kennedy was shot, did not totally sink in until later. For me it was probably first landing on the moon, believe that was 1969.

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Perkup — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 22:44:31 GMT

There was no "watching" then except at the Saturday morning movie news reels, but the first thing I remember is listening to the radio when they announced the Japanese invasion of Pearl Harbor, as well as Roosevelt's speech. "A day of Infamy". I had to look up the word.

At that time our school life was interrupted by an influx of new children (kids with military Dads), who moved into our area and caused us to have to add additional class rooms. I was put into a room with the top 10 second graders and the lower ten third graders. Very confusing for us and the teacher. As a result of hearing both classes being taught, I had to skip third grade and go from 2nd to 4th, thus finishing high school at a pretty young age of not quite 15.

Re: Living/Witnessing History

Marienkaefer2 — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 22:42:44 GMT

I think I became cognizant of that when the Berlin Wall came down.

It was only two years after I had moved back to the US from Germany.

I was in graduate school at the time.

I remember being in awe of it, because I had lived in "West Berlin," I had no real inkling that this could happen in my lifetime, or at least in my younger years.

It was quite amazing.

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Nancy Drew — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 22:43:20 GMT

Living in the Phillipines during the Marcos revolution. Getting food delivered via helicopter as we were on lockdown.

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suzyQ3 — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 22:44:03 GMT

Definitely the JFK assassination.

More recently, the election of our current president.

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QVCkitty1 — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 22:44:47 GMT

The JFK assassination. I was in 9th grade, and I never believed anything like that could happen in our country.

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GSPgirl — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 22:47:56 GMT

Landing on the moon. My dad said I would be telling my grandkids and I have.

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AKgirl2 — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 22:47:58 GMT

President Kennedy's assassination...I was 13, in ninth grade social studies class and the devasting news was announced. For some reason, I just loved JFK and felt such deep sadness the moment it was announced. Walter Cronkite and TV coverage of funeral with Jackie and children was so very sad. Many victories and such tragedies suffered by the Kennedy families.

Re: Living/Witnessing History

sunshine45 — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 22:48:20 GMT

the challenger explosion......i remember being at work and listening to the entire thing on the radio. i could not focus at all and felt so sick to my stomach.....and wanted to cry right there.

Re: Living/Witnessing History

Marienkaefer2 — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 22:50:31 GMT

I have another thing.

It's not really witnessing history, but...

Back in the mid 1990s, a coworker at the company where I worked told me that someday we'd be able to use our cell phones to go online, buy things, email, etc..all that stuff.

Remember this was before social media, too, and I don't believe anyone texted back then, either.

It seemed strange to me.

Now I've always got my cell phone nearby, and do nearly everything on it.

So maybe, he was giving me a "heads up" on history.

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MacDUFF — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 22:51:54 GMT

Several things around the same timeframe...Bobby Kennedy's assassination, Roe v. Wade, and disorder on American campuses.

Re: Living/Witnessing History

Marienkaefer2 — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 22:52:25 GMT

@sunshine45 wrote:
the challenger explosion......i remember being at work and listening to the entire thing on the radio. i could not focus at all and felt so sick to my stomach.....and wanted to cry right there.

@sunshine45

I remember that day clearly, too.

I was home at my parents' in Arizona, it was a warm-ish sunny day, and we were out on the patio.

My dad told me he just heard the Challenger exploded, and I didn't believe him.

I thought he had misheard.

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LTT1 — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 22:53:51 GMT

Kennedy assasination and landing on the moon.

Although I'm not sure my child or DGCs would be that impressed.

DD is not "history" oriented, although she is very journalism oriented.

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tansy — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 22:59:44 GMT

JFK's assassination made a huge impression on me because my 5th grade teacher was sobbing uncontrollably as she told us the news. We were sent home.

The next event would be the moon landing. My dad worked on that mission.

Re: Living/Witnessing History

itiswhatitis — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 23:31:58 GMT

@Marp wrote:
When/what did you first become aware that you were witnessing/living history?

For me it was the launch of Sputnik I in 1957.

January, 2008, The swearing in of the First Black President in our lifetime.

9/11 felt like a dream as I was in the midst of the chaos and fear on a very close level.