The events of September 11, 2001, when terrorists brought down New York's Twin Towers as part of four coordinated attacks, will be marked today by a series of commemorative ceremonies and gestures of remembrance across the United States.
A national moment of silence is observed every year at 8:46 a.m. ET, corresponding to the time American Airlines Flight 11 hit the north tower of the World Trade Center.
It is among a series of commemorations and tributes scheduled to take place, including the lowering of flags at half-mast across the country.
The ceremonial tribute was instructed by Congress in 2001. As well as designating September 11 of each year as "Patriot Day," and requesting the observance of September 11 as an annually recognized National Day of Service and Remembrance, Congress also guided that flags on government buildings be lowered.
Under a Joint Resolution approved in December 2001, the president is requested to issue an annual proclamation calling on "all departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the United States and interested organizations and individuals to display the flag of the United States at halfstaff on Patriot Day."
It also requests that the president call on the American people to observe a moment of silence "in honor of the individuals who lost their lives as a result of the terrorist attacks against the United States that occurred on September 11, 2001."
The resolution called 9/11 "the deadliest terrorist attacks ever launched against the United States, killing thousands of innocent people."
A total of 2,974 people died in the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and in the crash of United Airlines Flight 93 in Pennsylvania. More than 400 of them were New York City firefighters and police officers who were killed at the scene when the Twin Towers fell.
Thousands have also suffered from or died due to 9/11-related illnesses. A 2021 report by the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) claimed more people have died from related illnesses than were lost in the initial 2001 attacks.
While Patriot Day has been designated as a Day of Prayer and Remembrance, observed since 2002, it is not a public holiday, with government offices, schools, and businesses remaining open.
Many classrooms will take part in activities and lessons designed to help commemorate and teach younger generations about 9/11. Newsweek has previously produced a series of guides compiling just some of the resources that teachers and parents can access to educate children about 9/11.
For further information, the 9/11 Memorial Museum has numerous resources for parents and teachers to use.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
