March 6, 1981: Walter Cronkite’s final broadcast.

The man who became “the most trusted man in America”

was born in St. Joseph and grew up in Kansas City until

he and his family moved to Texas. Cronkite returned to Missouri for

his early years of broadcasting, at KCMO radio. Later in his career, as

anchor of The CBS Evening News, he was the man viewers most turned

to when President Kennedy was killed and when American astronauts

landed on the moon. When he retired, millions tuned in for his final

goodbye. A memorial was erected in his honor at Missouri Western

State University in St. Joseph.

Based upon content from the book Missouri 365: This Day in Missouri History by John W. Brown, broadcaster and Missouri historian. Get your copy at Reedy Press.

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