RIP KIDD

Kidd Kraddick fans turn to social media to mourn loss of radio icon

It's been less than 48 hours since the death of nationally syndicated radio host David "Kidd" Kraddick, and his fans are still reeling from the news. Kraddick was best known as the host of morning radio show Kidd Kraddick in the Morning, broadcast in Dallas on KHKS 106.1 KISS-FM.

Reaction has been swift and sweeping, underscoring the ever-dominant role that social media plays in the way news spreads, beginning with the mode in which the news of his death was first discovered. At least an hour before traditional media weighed in, Kraddick's death was first revealed by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban via Twitter.

RIP Kidd Kraddick. You were an amazing man and a friend. You are already missed.

— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) July 28, 2013

As Twitter activity began to surge, someone updated Kraddick's Wikipedia page with news of his passing, a mere 30 minutes after Cuban's initial tweet. Meanwhile, the hashtags #RIPKiddKraddick and #KiddMemories quickly emerged, bringing forth a flurry of reflective tweets from listeners across the country.

And within just a few hours of his death, an "RIP KIDD Kraddick" page was created, one that currently stands with 208,000 followers, with a thousand more joining every minute.

Thanks to its electronic billboard technology, Clear Channel Communications was able to update its billboards around Dallas-Fort Worth instantly. By Sunday morning, Clear Channel billboards posted a message that simply read, "In loving memory of Kidd Kraddick."

Meanwhile, Kiss-FM has hosted basically a 24-hour memorial, with fans calling in to express their condolences; a makeshift memorial has been built outside his studio in Las Colinas.

Co-host Raspberry took to Facebook as well, posting a note July 28 that said in part, "My heart is broken. Nineteen years ago, Kidd Kraddick swept me up from the middle of nowhere and took me on as his on-air wife. It will always be the biggest honor of my life."

She and the rest of the crew from Kidd Kraddick in the Morning hosted a tribute show on Monday, July 29, eliciting a wave of emotions across the country.

I'm listening, laughing and crying right now. Radio will never be the same, ever. You will never be forgotten Kidd Kraddick #RIPKiddKraddick

— Billy The Kidd (@billyontheradio) July 29, 2013

Clear Channel put a message on its electronic billboards that read "In loving memory of Kidd Kraddick."

RIP Kidd Kraddick Facebook

Clear Channel put a message on its electronic billboards that read "In loving memory of Kidd Kraddick."

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History on Display

Landmark Nelson Mandela exhibition to kick off in Dallas during World Cup

Photo courtesy of Lawrence Jenkins

Mandela: The Official Exhibition will open at The African American Museum, Dallas on June 13.

The African American Museum in Dallas will capitalize on an expected influx of global tourists by hosting Mandela: The Official Exhibition, opening on June 13 to coincide with the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The exhibition will offer an attraction in Fair Park, which will also host a Fan Festival for the World Cup.

The World Cup will take place June 11-July 19 in locations throughout North America. Nine World Cup games will be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington between June 14 and July 14.

Making its debut in Texas, Mandela: The Official Exhibition explores the life of late South African president Nelson Mandela, one of the world’s most recognizable champions of freedom and justice.

Mandela also had strong ties to soccer, embracing the sport as a tool for unity and hope in post-apartheid South Africa. From organizing matches while imprisoned to championing the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Mandela demonstrated how soccer could bridge deep divisions.

His appearance at the tournament’s closing match, when he donned South Africa’s national team jersey, became an enduring symbol of sport’s power to unite a nation and inspire the world. Mandela died in December 2013.

“Nelson Mandela devoted his life to justice and to the fight against apartheid, enduring 27 years in prison before becoming South Africa’s first democratically elected president,” said Lisa Brown Ross, president and CEO of the African American Museum, Dallas, in a statement. “This exhibition tells the full arc of his life and affirms the Museum’s role as a vital cultural destination for North Texas and for visitors from around the world.”

According to the release, the exhibition will span all four galleries and unfold through multisensory experiences, tracing Mandela’s extraordinary journey from his rural childhood in the Eastern Cape to his decades of resistance against apartheid and his election as South Africa’s first democratically elected president.

His journey to becoming the “Father of South Africa” and a globally revered figure is presented in personal and revealing ways. Through his own reflections and stories shared by his family and those who knew him best, visitors will see Mandela - respectfully called Madiba - in a new light. Madiba is his Thembu clan name and is used as a sign of respect and affection.

One gallery will be transformed into a fully immersive, multimedia environment that places visitors within defining chapters of Mandela’s life. Guests will encounter rarely seen films, photographs and personal artifacts on loan from the Mandela family, as well as museums and archives worldwide, illuminating the people, places and pivotal experiences that shaped one of the 20th century’s most remarkable leaders.

The exhibition will remain on display through November 1. Admission to the museum is free, and it is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 am-5 pm and Saturdays from 10 am-5 pm, with special summer hours to be announced. Free self-parking is available in nearby lots.

exhibitions-visual-arts galleries history museums nelson mandela soccer sports world cup