[Report] "I First Learned About 9/11 From Family Conversations"... Passing Down the Memory Becomes a Mission on the 25th Anniversary

Michael, 14, Born 11 Years After the Tragedy
"I Learned About It at School... America Is Less United Now"
New "Seventh Moment of Silence" Introduced at 9/11 Memorial Ceremony

"Listening to the adults, I gradually realized that it was an incident where planes crashed into buildings."

On September 10 (local time), one day before the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Michael Davis, 14, whom we met near the 9/11 Memorial in Lower Manhattan, New York, said this.

For Michael, who was born after the tragedy, 9/11 is not a memory of his own. He came to know part of the events by listening to conversations between his parents and the people around him, and then learned the full story of 9/11 later at school.

Citizens visiting the memorial ahead of the 9/11 remembrance ceremony are placing flowers and American flags on the names of the deceased as a tribute. New York, USA - Photo by Yoonjoo Hwang

Michael said, "Although my parents weren't in a dangerous area at the time, I heard that they watched the attacks on TV." He added, "Because adults didn't tell children about such things in detail, I had to piece together what happened based on their conversations. Later, I learned about it in more detail at school."

Another legacy that the 9/11 Memorial & Museum emphasizes on the 25th anniversary is the "Spirit of 9/12." This refers to the sense of community and solidarity that emerged from the day after the tragedy, with people coming together for rescue and recovery as well as volunteering and donating, regardless of background or ideology.

When asked whether he thinks this sense of solidarity continues today, Michael answered, "I think there is less unity now, and we see more conflict and fighting." For generations that did not experience the tragedy, 9/11 has become a history not only about the attacks themselves, but also about the way American society responded as a community in the aftermath.

Passing Down the Memory of 9/11 Through Testimony and Education

Remnants of the World Trade Center displayed inside the 9/11 Memorial. New York, USA - Photo by Yoonju Hwang

The tragedy 25 years ago is a story relayed to Michael's generation by family members and encountered in textbooks and videos. According to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, more than 100 million Americans were either not yet born or were too young at the time of the tragedy to remember that day.

As the generation that remembers the tragedy firsthand decreases, the issue of how to convey 9/11 to the next generation has emerged as a new challenge in the United States. This includes not just the names of the victims and what happened that day, but also recording and teaching about ongoing injuries, rescue, and volunteer work in their entirety.

Beth Hillman, president and CEO of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, recently said in a press briefing, "Many people remember exactly where they were on that terrible day, but now, 100 million Americans were either not yet born or were too young to remember it." She added, "Every year, we promise, 'We will never forget.' As time passes, that promise becomes even more important."

The museum runs a "9/11 Anniversary Digital Learning Program" for students who did not experience the tragedy. Students and teachers can watch a free 30-minute video that features testimonies from those who experienced the day and its aftermath. They can also ask museum staff questions via real-time chat.

The museum’s education officer said, "The boundary between those who remember 9/11 and those who do not is becoming increasingly clear," and stressed, "We must preserve the stories, lessons, and legacy of the tragedy not only for the current generation but for the next." According to the museum, more than 5 million students have participated in the program since it began.

A special exhibition opening on the 12th, "In Their Honor: 25 Years of 9/11-Inspired Service," shares the same purpose. The exhibition presents, through testimonies, artifacts, and videos, how survivors and bereaved families channeled their grief into rescue work, healthcare, education, and philanthropic activities.

The Continuing Scars of 9/11 Beyond Memory

9/11 Memorial Exhibition

The 9/11 history that must be passed down to future generations does not end on September 11, 2001. Many involved in rescue, recovery, and those who lived in southern Manhattan have since suffered from cancer and respiratory illnesses.

At this year’s 25th anniversary memorial ceremony, a "seventh moment of silence" will be held for the first time to remember those who died from 9/11-related illnesses and injuries. The previous ceremonies observed six moments of silence, timed with the plane crashes, the collapse of the World Trade Center, and the crash of United Airlines Flight 93. The new moment of silence will remain an official part of the ceremony each year.

The family of Logan Miller, who lost his uncle in 9/11, also experienced the long-term scars of the tragedy. Miller’s grandfather, Kenneth Wallace, returned to work near Ground Zero after the tragedy. He later developed leukemia and passed away in 2016. The 9/11 Memorial & Museum has recognized him as someone who died from a related illness he contracted while working near the scene after the attack.

For Michael’s generation, conveying the legacy of 9/11 is not just about teaching the image of planes hitting buildings. It is also about remembering the lives of those who perished that day, those who died from illnesses afterward, and those who transformed their loss into service. As the U.S. reaches the 25th anniversary of 9/11, the promise of "never forget" is moving from a personal memory to a history that the next generation must learn.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.