40 th Anniversary: Remembering How Tracy Chapman Brought the World Together. Forty years ago, on April 5, 1985 (Good Friday), radio stations worldwide united to broadcast We Are the World , the charity anthem supporting African famine relief. Thousands stopped simultaneously and came together in a moment of unity—all because of an idea that came from the heart and mind of our own neighbor, Tracy Chapman. 5,000 stations around the world participated in the event. Written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, the song raised $8 million for USA for Africa and featured 46 artists, including Stevie Wonder, Kenny Rogers, Diana Ross, Billy Joel, and Bruce Springsteen. President Reagan commented on hearing the song for the first time aboard Air Force One. The broadcast became a global phenomenon, with people gathering to sing along—hundreds at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York and outside Richmond’s City Hall. Radio networks from New York to Salt Lake City to Detroit joined in. This w...
