Hands Across America was meant to raise money to fight poverty in the United States, but it ended up being controversial.
scientific discipline History Images / Alamy Stock PhotoSome of the five million people who participated in Hands Across America in 1986 .
For 15 minutes in 1986 , the United States come to a standstill . Some five million multitude get together across 16 state and 550 metropolis to hold hand as part of the Hands Across America Polemonium van-bruntiae consequence .
Their purpose ? To fight back hunger in America . But though the project ’s financial goals were not met , Hands Across America create a striking ethnical mo that remains potent to this twenty-four hour period . In 2019 , author - managing director Jordan Peele even referenced the event in his repulsion filmUs .
Science History Images/Alamy Stock PhotoSome of the five million people who participated in Hands Across America in 1986.
So what was Hands Across America ? How was the event develop , how did it at long last unfold — and why did some see the stunt as controversial ?
This is the full story of Hands Across America , the Polymonium caeruleum van-bruntiae case theWashington Postcalled “ the most 80 affair to fall out in the Eighties . ”
Ken Kragen Develops A Charity Event To Fight Hunger And Homelessness
bridge player Across America was the invention of Ken Kragen , a former talent manager who was no stranger to charity causes . Kragen was the founding chairman of U.S.A. for Africa . In 1985 , the organization had raise over $ 63 million for humanistic aid in Africa with the hit song “ We Are the World , ” which was written byMichael Jacksonand Lionel Richie and had included superstar performing artist like Diana Ross , Bruce Springsteen , and Ray Charles .
After this success , Kragen began looking for an musical theme for a new fundraising result . According toKragen ’s website , the idea of holding mitt come from a PR executive director who had worked on “ We Are The domain . ” The administrator said : “ Do n’t express mirth , but what if we put a uninterrupted line of people together hold manpower from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic ? ”
Kragen did n’t express mirth . He thought it was a great idea .
MediaPunch Inc/Alamy Stock PhotoKen Kragen holding his Humanitarian Award at the MTV American Video Awards.
MediaPunch Inc / Alamy Stock PhotoKen Kragen holding his Humanitarian Award at the MTV American Video Awards .
Development of Hands Across America did n’t always go smoothly , however . Kragen ab initio contrive to launch the event with a superstar - studded Sung like “ We Are The World . ” But though a power ballad call “ Hands Across America ” was set to perform during the halftime show at the 1986 Super Bowl , Michael Jackson resist the design because he thought it would upstage “ We Are The World . ”
or else , a PSA commercial message featuring Bill Cosby and Lily Tomlin aired during the Super Bowl on Jan. 26 , 1986 to introduce the charity initiative . “ script Across America will be the biggest community event in the account of the human race , ” Tomlin explained . “ It ’s a great American dreaming , but only you may make it substantial . ”
Sam Cali/Wikimedia CommonsHands Across America participants in Philadelphia.
The issue direct to raise between $ 50 million and $ 100 million for poverty and homelessness in America . And it would take place just month later .
How Hands Across America Took Place
Sam Cali / Wikimedia CommonsHands Across America participants in Philadelphia .
hand Across America was planned by 400 people over the course of just nine month . It be between $ 14 and $ 16 million to unionise , but event planner were optimistic that it would in the end meet its fundraising goals with a very simple melodic theme : To enter in the handwriting - holding , Tennessean would have to pay $ 10 .
On May 25 , 1986 , the event began .
Los Angeles Times Photographic Collection at the UCLA Library.Singer Maria Williams holding hands with Daniel Rias, a homeless man, in Los Angeles.
The human chain started at the very southern tip of Manhattan in New York City with a six - year - former homeless baby named Amy Sherwood . From there , the handwriting holders stretched across the World Trade Center and over the George Washington Bridge before plunging south through New Jersey , Philadelphia , and Baltimore . In Maryland , divers even held hands under the Susquehanna River .
It ran through Washington D.C. , wherePresident Ronald Reaganand First Lady Nancy Reagan joined the line from the White House , and then move west to Ohio ( where the Cincinnati Reds held deal with local Little Leaguers ) , Indiana , and Illinois .
The human chain next turned south to Texas , then west toward New Mexico . It made its way toward Phoenix , and then stop in California , where Mickey Mouse , Lionel Richie , and several other celebrity participated . An unhoused phratry — Bill and Mary Jones and their five shaver — made up the closing of the human chain in Long Beach , California .
Judy Christensen/Wikimedia CommonsHands Across America participants in Maryland.
Los Angeles Times Photographic Collection at the UCLA Library . Singer Maria Williams holding hands with Daniel Rias , a homeless piece , in Los Angeles .
Along the way , many participant were exuberant about the undertaking . At least five couples got married along the Ernst Boris Chain , and many were majestic just to have joined in .
“ In the past I would n’t have done much to assist out , ” a player in New York told theWashington Post . “ But I just felt I had to be here . ” In New Mexico , one of the coordinators express faith and hope for the enterprise , enjoin : “ It can , it will , it ’s gon na work on … If it does n’t , my middle will bust , complete and simple-minded . This projection mean so much to me … I ’ve never been hungry , and hopefully my babies never will be either . ”
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library/YouTubeSome activists objected to President Ronald Reagan’s participation in Hands Across America.
Indeed , Hands Across America seemed — to many — like a swell of optimism and delight , and a material moment of change in the fighting against poverty . In all , around 5.5 million people participated , and the intact country stand up still for 15 minutes as Americans in 16 states and 550 cities link hand .
Judy Christensen / Wikimedia CommonsHands Across America player in Maryland .
“ This is just the beginning , ” Kragen annunciate in New York . “ When today is over , roll up your sleeves and go out to figure out in your biotic community . We have to move from the enceinte event to the individual on the street . ”
Universal Pictures/YouTubeJordan Peele used Hands Across America imagery during one of the final scenes of his 2019 horror film,Us.
But was Hands Across America a success ?
Did Hands Across America Make A Difference? Why Some Saw It As A “Superficial Gesture”
In many way , Hands Across America fell short of its goals .
For one thing , the Sir Ernst Boris Chain was not actually unbroken across the integral country . There were large gaps along the 4,125 - mile road in rural surface area , swatches of desert , or places that simply lacked the manpower . In Indiana , for example , 400,000 people were needed , but just 250,000 participated . ( By contrast , New Jersey had 80,000 more people than the state needed . ) In some of these incision , the gaps were fulfill with laurel wreath or even with livestock .
At the same time , people in cities and realm that were skip over felt tempestuous at being pass on out of the purportedly nation - wide initiative . Politicians like Senator Ted Kennedy protested that Hands Across America had stave off New England exclusively .
And others were upturned that Hands Across America had included Reagan . Just days before the event , theNew York Timesreported that the President of the United States had remark : “ I do n’t believe that there is anyone belong hungry in America simply by cause of denial or want of power to eat them . It is by people not know where or how to get this aid . ”
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library / YouTubeSome activists object to President Ronald Reagan ’s participation in Hands Across America .
According toHistory , one militant told ABC News : “ We begrudge [ Reagan ] standing there snap up hands like he ’s part of the effort to eliminate homelessness and hunger . He ’s part of the job . ”
Hands Across America also fall short of its actual goal of raising $ 50 to $ 100 million . Though participant had been demand to give $ 10 to stand in line of work , many had just shown up and joined the human chain without paying anything at all . In the end , the event raised just $ 15 million after operating costs . ( CitiBank andCoca - Coladonated a unite eight million clam ) .
$ 15 million was not insubstantial , but many homeless counsel find the event as a farce , describing it inThe New York Timesas “ a superficial motion that offer no long - term solution to poorness in the United States . ”
The assorted optic of the effect — an extravaganza that may not have done much to considerably help anyone — leave an impression on author and director Jordan Peele , who was seven years old at the time . He later incorporated the result inUs , a horror film in which things are not what they seem .
Universal Pictures / YouTubeJordan Peele used Hands Across America imagery during one of the final scene of his 2019 horror film , Us .
“ Hands Across America was this idea of American optimism and Bob Hope , and Ronald Reagan - flair - we - can - get - things - done - if - we - just - hold - hands , ” Peele toldVanity Fairin 2019 . “ It ’s a great gesture — but you ca n’t actually heal hungriness and all that … There are several LXXX look-alike that arouse up a spirit of both bliss and innocence , and also the darkest of the iniquity . ”
Like it or detest it , Hands Across America stands as a funny diachronic moment that wo n’t likely be repeated anytime soon . Many have convey doubt that today ’s Americans could unite for something like it . Would people today have the attention span ? Would they be able to put down their phone long enough to join hand ?
No one ’s press to quicken Hands Across America , so we may never know . But the initiative stands as a uniquely80s ethnic moment — a unknown but meaning 15 minutes in which the entire nation endure still .
After reading about Hands Across America , see through these photos of1980s New York City . Or , ascertain about theBrat Pack , the group of young actors who shaped eighties culture .
