What if your only source of “breaking news” was radio — and you heard reports of Martians invading New Jersey? That was the terrifying illusion that gripped much of America on Halloween Eve, 1938.
On Thursday, October 30 at 6 p.m., the St. Joseph / Maud Preston Palenske Memorial Library, in partnership with PBS, invites you to experience American Experience: War of the Worlds — a documentary that revisits one of the greatest media spectacles in U.S. history.
📻 What You’ll See & Hear
This PBS production (part of the American Experience series) explores how 23-year-old Orson Welles used the relatively new medium of radio to stage a fictional Martian invasion so convincingly that some listeners believed it was real. PBS+2PBS+2
The film draws on archival audio, dramatic reconstructions, and interviews with historians and Welles’s daughter, Chris Welles Feder, to probe how the broadcast unfolded and how the public reacted. The
The program will last about 90 minutes, according to a library spokesperson.
🕰 Background & Legacy
The original broadcast aired on October 30, 1938, on CBS’s The Mercury Theatre on the Air. What made it startling was its format: almost the entire first half was presented as a sequence of live “news bulletins” interrupting musical programming — so realistic that many listeners missed the disclaimers and believed Martians were attacking Earth. PBS+3Wikipedia+3PBS+3
In the hours that followed, newspapers ran sensational headlines. Some listeners claimed to have fled their homes or called police; others were simply frightened. Over time, however, historians have debated the true scale of the panic, suggesting it may have been magnified by the press. Wellesnet+5Wikipedia+5The Unwritten Record+5
Yet, regardless of the actual chaos, the broadcast became legendary. It catapulted Welles’s fame and raised questions about media credibility and public trust — themes that still feel relevant today. PBS+4Wikipedia+4National Catholic Reporter+4
PBS’s documentary also discusses how the cultural context of 1938 — from widespread fascination with life on Mars to anxieties over global conflict — made America particularly vulnerable to such a broadcast. Wellesnet+3Apple TV+3PBS+3
🎃 Why It’s a Must-See Before Halloween
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Atmospheric timing — Watch it the night before Halloween to feel a little of the original broadcast’s tension.
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Historical intrigue — “What would I have done?” is a powerful question.
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Media literacy lesson — Reflect on how news is packaged and the hazards of trusting any single medium blindly.
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Conversation starter — After the screening, you and your neighbors can debate what really happened that night in 1938.
📅 Event Details
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When: Thursday, October 30 at 6:00 p.m.
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Where: St. Joseph / Maud Preston Palenske Memorial Library, 500 Market Street, St. Joseph
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Hosted by: St. Joseph / Maud Preston Palenske Memorial Library & PBS
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Tickets/Entry: Free event, no admission charge. All are welcome. No registration required.
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Info & contact: Library staff, (269) 983-7167, publiclibrary@sjcity.com
Whether you’re a fan of science fiction, a student of media history, or just up for a suspenseful evening, this screening offers a fascinating look at one of America’s most haunting Halloween traditions.
