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A Larry Bensky Tribute and Memorial

by Lynda Carson (newzland2 [at] gmail.com)
A Photo Taken By Lynda Carson In Front Of KPFA During The Summer Lockout And The KPFA-Pacifica Struggle In 1999. That's Larry Bensky In A Red Jacket And White Hat Standing On The Back Of A Pickup Truck, With Dennis Bernstein (of Flashpoints) In A Red Top, Standing Next To The Truck. Click On The Images For A Better Viewing.
Larry Bensky and Dennis Bernstein in photo.
A Larry Bensky Tribute and Memorial

By Lynda Carson - May 28, 2024

Oakland, CA - Earlier today, KPFA radio produced and aired a tribute to Larry Bensky called, “KPFA Special Programming: A Tribute To Larry Bensky.” According to KPFA, “Today’s Thom Hartmann show is preempted by a special KPFA broadcast: Mitch Jeserich hosts a special 2-hour remembrance of former broadcaster Larry Bensky. This program airs live from 10am-noon and includes time for listeners to call in with memories of Larry. KPFA call-in numbers: 510-848-4425, 800-958-9008.” 

A Tribute to Larry Bensky may be listened to by clicking here.


A Memorial For Larry Bensky:


Additionally, reportedly, there is going to be a Memorial for Larry Bensky. The gathering for the Memorial will take place at St. John’s Presbyterian Church, on June 13, 4:00PM, located at 2727 College Ave, in Berkeley.

On the website for KPFA radio 94.1 FM, in Berkeley, on May 20, 2024, they announced that Larry Bensky formerly a veteran broadcaster of KPFA has passed away on Sunday May 19, 2024, at the age of 87. According to the KPFA radio website, “Larry’s funeral was on Monday, May 20th. We will announce any plans for a memorial when those arrangements are made and update them here.”

According to the KPFA radio website, “people may click here to listen to a Larry Bensky Retrospective, a two-hour look at Larry’s career and after his initial retirement in 2007. Hosted by Aileen Alfandary and produced by Aaron Glantz.”

In part, according to the KPFA radio website, “Larry Bensky was best known as the national affairs correspondent for Pacifica Radio from 1987 to 1998. Larry covered numerous national and international events for Pacifica, including the Iran–Contra hearings in 1987, the confirmation hearings for four Supreme Court justices, the 1990 elections in Nicaragua, and numerous demonstrations and protests in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere. He anchored Pacifica’s live coverage of the 9/11 Commission hearings, and co-anchored Pacifica’s coverage of many Democratic and Republican conventions, as well as the Presidential debates. He was anchor for Pacifica’s extensive coverage of the post-2004 election controversy in Ohio, as well as several Congressional hearings about the misuse of executive power in the Bush administration.” More about Larry Bensky on the KPFA radio website may be found by clicking here.


Note: The rare vintage photos from the KPFA-Pacifica struggle during the summer of 1999:


The rare vintage photos for this story were taken by myself (Lynda Carson), during a “momentous occasion of resistance to save KPFA,” that took place during the summer of 1999, while the KPFA radio station lockout was taking place. This was when the KPFA-Pacifica struggle took place resulting in a three-week lockout at the KPFA radio station, in Berkeley. At the time, KPFA radio had been shut down by Pacifica’s then Chair Mary Frances Berry and Executive Director Lynn Chadwick, in a dispute over control of the radio station.

Eventually, 10,000 protestors or more united for a massive demonstration of resistance in Berkeley, shortly before then Chair Mary Frances Berry and Executive Director Lynn Chadwick relented, and allowed the staff at KPFA radio station to go back to work, which allowed the KPFA radio programs to go back on the air. It was a “momentous occasion of resistance,” by the people who saved KPFA radio at the time.

One of the photos from 1999 that I took (see above), includes a photo with Larry Bensky in a red jacket and white hat standing on the back of a pickup truck in front of the KPFA radio station, including Dennis Bernstein (of Flashpoints) wearing a red top, while Bernstein was standing next to the truck Larry Bensky was standing on. Among others, Larry Bensky and Dennis Bernstein helped to organize a “momentous occasion of resistance to save KPFA radio,” back during the summer of 1999. This was one of KPFA’s historic moments in the past 75 years of KPFA’s history.

Other photos I took during the lockout at KPFA during the summer of 1999, include a closeup photo of Dennis Bernstein (in black top wearing glasses), and some people wearing a gag at a demonstration to save KPFA are in a different photo. Plus a photo of two young men from Berkeley who handcuffed themselves to the front door at KPFA while they were sitting down, including a photo of a large group of demonstrators in front of the KPFA radio station during the three-week summer lockout in 1999.

Hopefully, my photos helped to capture the spirit and excitement of the moment 25 years ago of the “momentous occasion of resistance to save KPFA,” by all of those who were involved in the resistance.

More rare vintage photos that I took during the 1999 summer of the KPFA-Pacifica struggle lockout, and some rare vintage posters of mine, may be found by clicking here, for those who may be interested.

Additionally, for those who may be interested, Larry Bensky may be viewed on some older C-Span links further below…

May his soul rest in peace after a well deserved rest, and may the memories of Larry Bensky stay with us for many more years ahead into the future.

Lynda Carson may be reached at newzland2 [at] gmail.com

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C-Span

NOVEMBER 15, 1990

Savings and Loan Senate Ethics Investigation

Larry Bensky the national affairs correspondent for Pacifica Radio Network spoke on the first day of hearings into the “Keating Five” hearing… read more 

https://www.c-span.org/video/?15001-1/savings-loan-senate-ethics-investigation

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C-Span - Larry Bensky

Larry Bensky

On the C-SPAN Networks:
Larry Bensky is a Talk Show Host for the Pacifica Radio with six videos in the C-SPAN Video Library; the first appearance was a 1989 Call-In as a Correspondent for the Pacific Radio. The year with the most videos was 1990 with three videos as a Correspondent for the Pacifica Radio.

Appearances by Title:

c. January 6, 1995 - Present

Talk Show Host, Pacifica Radio

Videos: 2

Previously

Correspondent, Pacifica Radio

c. January 10, 1990 - c. January 6, 1995

Videos: 3

Correspondent, Pacific Radio

c. March 30, 1989 - c. January 10, 1990

Videos: 1

https://www.c-span.org/person/larry-bensky/6464/

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More Rare Photos By Lynda Carson Of The KPFA-Pacifica Struggle And Lockout In The Summer Of 1999, During The "Momentous Occaision Of Resistance To Save KPFA."
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More Rare Photos By Lynda Carson Of The KPFA-Pacifica Struggle And Lockout In The Summer Of 1999, During The "Momentous Occaision Of Resistance To Save KPFA."
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More Rare Photos By Lynda Carson Of The KPFA-Pacifica Struggle And Lockout In The Summer Of 1999, During The "Momentous Occaision Of Resistance To Save KPFA."
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More Rare Photos By Lynda Carson Of The KPFA-Pacifica Struggle And Lockout In The Summer Of 1999, During The "Momentous Occaision Of Resistance To Save KPFA."
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More Rare Photos By Lynda Carson Of The KPFA-Pacifica Struggle And Lockout In The Summer Of 1999, During The "Momentous Occaision Of Resistance To Save KPFA."
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