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After the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, this country made an enduring promise to “Never Forget.”
It was a promise made by those of us who witnessed the attacks. Twenty-five years later, it is now a promise we must pass down to those born since 9/11.
More than 100 million Americans are too young to remember 9/11. They know 9/11 as a moment in history books rather than a day that began with clear skies that were soon darkened by smoke and fear.
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These 100 million Americans are not all children. They are now firefighters and police officers. They are enlisted service members and officers carrying out missions reshaped by the 9/11 attacks. They are parents, neighbors and volunteers. And a great many of them now stand in classrooms as teachers and role models for our youth.
Colorful flowers are left by mourners at the 9/11 Memorial, offering gifts to remember those killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York City. (Getty)
To put this in perspective, students starting high school this fall were born over a decade after the attacks. They might also be taught by someone too young to remember 9/11 or who wasn’t even born yet.
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A quarter-century on, that is the challenge before this country, and it is addressed by the work we do every day at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum: making sure the promise to never forget does not fade.
Since the museum opened in 2014, more than 28 million visitors have passed through its doors. Increasingly, they come to learn what happened here because they didn’t live through it themselves.
Inside, visitors see the names, faces and stories of the 2,977 victims. They see the things people carried that morning, like business cards and wallets. They take in the scale of the twisted steel from the towers. And they learn about what happened from the stories and firsthand accounts of people there that day.
They also experience the spirit of Sept. 12 and learn how our city, country and world came together in ways big and small in the aftermath of tragedy. Neighbors raised flags in solidarity. Volunteers came to Ground Zero to help any way they could. Schoolchildren visited their local firehouses. On Sept. 12, 2001, and afterward, we witnessed some of the very best of our country’s resilience, caring and patriotism. People from more than 90 countries were killed, and people came from all over the world to help.
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But we know not everyone can come to us in Lower Manhattan to see these artifacts, hear these stories and experience the memorial and museum.
That is why we at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum are committed to bringing the legacy of Sept. 11 to students everywhere. We have developed student workshops, online programs, lesson plans and professional development opportunities to ensure educators are empowered and equipped to teach this subject.
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Every summer, teachers come to Lower Manhattan from across the country to spend a few days with us. They walk the museum floor, hear firsthand accounts and interact with experts. Many of them were in school that morning and some weren’t born yet. They come because they know a textbook won’t be enough when they stand in front of a classroom in September. They go home with the essential resources and a better sense of how to teach something that is still lived history.
A quarter-century on, that is the challenge before this country, and it is addressed by the work we do every day at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum: making sure the promise to never forget does not fade.
This year, as we commemorate the 25th anniversary of the attacks, we encourage you to take time to learn about 9/11 and to share stories of hope and community that are part of its legacy. It’s our duty to educate future generations and help them understand not only the scope of that tragic day but also the acts of service, compassion and courage that it inspired.
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If you’re a teacher and aren’t sure where to start, visit our website to find the tools to help. If you’re a student, join our Anniversary Digital Learning Experience, ask questions and listen to those who lived through this day, whether that’s family, neighbors or recorded videos and interviews.
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Twenty-five years ago, we promised to never forget. Teaching and learning are the only ways we can fulfill that promise now.