How Cities Are Marking the 20th Anniversary of 9/11
In this Monday, Sept. 12, 2011 file photo, a U.S. flag is stuck into the etched name of Father Mychal F. Judge, the New York Fire Department chaplain who died in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, at the National September 11 Memorial in New York. AP Photo/Mike Segar, Pool, File
Connecting state and local government leaders
Events to honor those who lost their lives are planned this week, including a reading of the names of the nearly 3,000 victims and other remembrances.
Many U.S. cities are commemorating the 20-year anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks with a host of events honoring those who lost their lives, especially in places where the attacks occurred.
In New York City, where hijackers crashed a pair of airplanes into the World Trade Center towers, the city began planning events well ahead of this week. Specifically, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum released an outline with some of the ways it will honor the nearly 3,000 Americans killed during the attacks across the U.S. in 2001. The commemorations will include a reading of the victims’ names at the museum, a tradition that began during the first anniversary of the attacks.
The museum will also continue its Tribute in Light anniversary custom, which consists of two beams of lights shooting straight into the sky representing the fallen Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. In addition, there will be pre-recorded webinars for schools, including first-hand stories from family members, survivors, and rescue and recovery workers, according to amny.com.
According to mycentraljersey.com, cities and counties throughout New Jersey, which lost many residents in the attacks, will be marking the 20th anniversary with solemn observances and other events. At 11 a.m., a memorial and remembrance ceremony will be held at a 9/11 monument in Manville, New Jersey. The ceremony will also recognize those who served during the wars after the attacks.
In Somerset County, New Jersey, there will be a countywide ceremony starting at 8 a.m. on Sept. 11, marking the time when the first plane hit the Twin Towers in New York City. The event, which will be livestreamed, will start on the steps of the Somerset County Court House.
The Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia outside of Washington, D.C., was also struck by a hijacked plane on Sept. 11, 2001. According to a press release by archives.gov, the events set up there to honor the lives lost started Sept. 7 and will run through Sept. 11.
A fourth plane crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania after passengers fought back against the hijackers onboard. According to pittsburghcbslocal.com, on Sept. 10 at 7:30 p.m., the Friends of Flight 93 will host a ceremony at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville. This event will include 40 candle lanterns that will be lit and carried by family members and others. Candles will be placed under the passenger and crew member names at the Wall of Names.
There are other 9/11 memorial events going on around the country. For example, in Azusa, California, the Rotary Club of Azusa will present its sixth-annual Field of Glory flag display through Sept. 11 honoring the 9/11 victims as well as veterans, service members, first responders and Covid-19 essential workers.
Meanwhile, in Cleveland, ceremonies, concerts, races and tributes are set in for Sept. 11 and the days around it. At 8:30 a.m. Saturday there will be a remembrance ceremony at the Soldiers’ & Sailors’ Monument. According to Cleveland.com, the proceedings begin in the memorial room of the monument with a reading of the timeline of the events of Sept. 11, 2001.
To see if your city is hosting a 9/11 ceremony, check out wavy.com or other sites for more information.
Andre Claudio is an assistant editor for Route Fifty and is based in Washington, D.C.
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