On September 11, 2001, 19 assertive members of the Islamic extremist group, al Qaeda, hijacked four airplanes targeting numerous areas in the United States. Two of the planes crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City, another hit the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and the last was a failed attempt on a hit in Washington D.C. that ended up crashing in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. This event is known as one of the most major terrorist attacks in history.

When one researches the 9/11 attacks, the main result is the tragic effect on New York City. On a clear Tuesday morning, around 8:45 am, an American Airlines flight with 20,000 gallons of jet fuel crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center. Multiple citizens were clueless, assuming that maybe it was an accident, though it was not. 18 minutes after the first plane hit, a second United Airlines flight appeared, turned sharply toward the World Trade Center and striked the south tower. It immediately was clear that America was under attack. 

As millions viewed the matters unfolding in New York, another American Airlines plane circled over downtown Washington D.C. before crashing into the Pentagon military headquarters at 9:45 am. The crash killed 125 military personnel as well as multiple civilians aboard the flight and in the Pentagon. 

Following the tragic events in New York and Virginia, a fourth United flight was hijacked 40 minutes after takeoff. The flight had been previously delayed, so the passengers had heard about the attacks prior to boarding. The passengers aboard as well as the flight attendants became suspicious as they knew they were not going to be returning to an airport as planned, so they put together an insurrection. They attempted to attack the cockpit with a fire extinguisher, the hijackers then flipped over the aircraft and sped toward the ground crashing in a rural field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania at 10:10 am killing all 44 aboard. 

This tragic event on September 11, 2001, not only affected New York, Washington D.C., and Virginia, but affected the world. America came together as a whole, bonded together by sadness and patriotism. To fully express their voice as well as to feel safe, everyone was together at this hard time.

Ever since the event, “The National September 11 Memorial & Museum ” was created in May 2014, New York City. The museum represents the events by giving tons of information as you walk through. The memorial includes two waterfall pool footprints of the World Trade Center, the surrounding border of where the buildings used to be includes names of each who sadly passed away. 

The following pictures were photographed by myself, Katelyn Sullivan, when I visited the memorial & museum in 2022.

Each blue square represents each missing person flier there was all around New York, many people were never found, presumed dead.

“The Survivors’ Stairs” withstood the collapse on 9/11. The staircase was planned for destruction though the survivors and other advocates agreed it should be saved as a symbolic remnant.

The memorial and museum highlight every area affected by the terrorist attack. The museum carries the importance of valuing those who were lost, it gives people the ability to keep them in our hearts and not forget the tragic event that occured on this day.