113 20 2325 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. I was on the N train on September 11th traveling my normal commute from Astoria into Midtown, Manhattan. It was a beautiful, clear blue morning - not a cloud in the sky. When I boarded the train, I managed to get a seat, which is pretty unusual at 9 am. It's an elevated train, so I could see the World Trade Center and the financial district from Queenboro Plaza, our last stop in Astoria. All the sudden everyone on the train stood up, pointed out the window and started murmuring. I stood up as well, having no idea what everyone was pointing at, but heard some woman say it what I thought was "train fire". Since the station passes close to the Long Island Rail Road, I thought that must be it and sat back down. We continued on, underground to the next station, Lexington Ave. There were no announcements about train delays or anything. I don't know why, but I actually thought for a brief moment to get on the outbound Queens train to see what the heck everyone was looking at. But I didn't. I got to my office and it was surprisingly pretty empty, since I was late. I usually left my apartment around 8:30. Since I was at the Yankees game the night before, I left at 9ish on September 11th. While going up the elevator, a fellow passenger said that a plane had hit the World Trade Center and a second one had just hit the second tower. I was totally shocked. I asked if she was kidding? I thought to myself, some airport controller will be fired over that. I kept thinking how strange it was that the pilots didn't change course, because they had to have seen the buildings, it was such a gorgeous day - bright blue clear skies. I got off the elevator and went to my cubicle. I turned on the computer, figuring I would try checking the NY News stations websites for information. The internet was useless, it completely crashed. My phone was blinking, so I picked it up and had three messages - one from my mother asking if I was ok and telling me something about a terrorist and a plane crash and to call her - she said it was impossible to phone in, she'd been trying for awhile. The next call was from a friend in Kansas City - he wanted to know if I knew what was going on, if I was ok and to call him. The second was the same friend again, he said he was just amazed at the site on television. On the message, he suddenly interjected, "Oh my god!! Another plane just hit the other World Trade Center Tower! I just watched it! It just flew right in there! Oh my god! What the hell is going on there?" As I was listening, the SVP of my group came in the office, sprinting down the hall. It occurred to me then that no one was around me in the office. I called my mom and talked to her and then tried to call the friend in Kansas City, but couldn't get through. I decided to go find out what was going on and found everyone from my office who had made it in, watching TV in our EVP's office. I was totally shocked, we just sat there for awhile fixated on the TV and then they cut in and said another plane had struck the Pentagon. That terrified me. I kept thinking, cancel all the flights and if you are in the Sears Tower, go home. So then I went back to my cube to try to call my friend again. Finally, I gave up on that attempt and phoned my mom, saying I couldn't get through to anyone else. My mom said to call my dad at work, as he was worried. I reached my dad and while on the phone he told me one of the towers had collapsed. I just couldn't believe it. My mom told me about people jumping from the Towers rather than dying from burning to death. It made me sick. Other friends in other parts of the country kept calling to check on me. Some I managed to call back and finally I sent a massive email explaining that I was no where near the WTC. A good friend from work came by, very upset, crying and telling me we had to leave right now because Mayor Giuliani lived in the ajoining building and she was scared. I calmed her down a bit and she said she was leaving and made me promise to leave as soon as I could. I decided to head home - I wanted off that island, even if just to Queens. I walked out of my building and it looked like a football game had let out. No traffic on the road. Just people walking. Eerily quiet. No one walking downtown, everyone walking uptown. My office is close to the Queensboro Bridge, so I walked up there and then crossed with all these people. We crossed the bridge and about halfway you could look down and beyond the beautiful blue skies by me, there was just clouds and clouds of smoke and debris. I couldn't even begin to describe this experience. It was just surreal. A loud woosh sound came from overhead and everyone's heads jerked up. Some people started saying it was yet another plane. But someone loudly said they were fighter jets doing fly bys. A man next to me said, "Jesus Christ, they are patrolling our skies." They are so close they sound like they are right overhead. Halfway across the bridge some guy start talking about god and the day of judgement and how we are all going to hell. Thousands of people were just walking across the bridge, all trying to get home and off Manhattan. It was the most surreal moment of my life and the towers were just gone. Completely gone. I mean, I saw it, I saw on TV, but walking home and not seeing them, I just couldn't believe it. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah1684.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-09 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 24.158.7.91 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. My girlfriend was up and watching the news as she was getting ready for work that morning. I was still sleeping when the first news reports came across that a plane had hit the tower. Being the news junky that I am, she knew I'd want to see the "accident" and woke me up with, "Honey? Honey? Wake up, a plane hit the World Trade Center it's on the news." I instantly sat up and started watching the first reports. "How could a plane fly into the World Trade Center?" "Oh my god, look at all the smoke." I relayed my take on the pictures as she continued getting ready for work. By this time (in retrospect it seems like forever, but couldn't have been more than a few minutes) I was sitting cross-legged at the end of the bed, glued to a 13-inch color television set to MSNBC with a hot cup of coffee hastily retrived from the kitchen. And then, watching the live shot of a burning, smoldering Tower, I was stunned to see the second plane fly into the second tower. "Honey? Oh my god! I think ... you have to see this." I remember feeling cold. The uncontrollable crying. The anger. The unanwereable questions of the day: Who? Why? Against my desperate pleadings to please stay home, my girlfriend left for work. I never even got dressed on Sept. 11, 2001. I sat in my pajamas, transfixed to one of the four televisions in my home, all turned to different news channels as the day unfolded. A headset phone clipped to my waist for numerous calls to relatives, friends and my girlfriends for updates. And then the first tower fell ... then the second. Both in a grotesquely precise way that mimed the perfectly timed explosions of demolition teams. My mom Omaha, Neb. calling from her cell phone saying her hardline phone was down ... something was going on SAC. The shock of fear slicing through my heart at the notion my parents might now be in danger; followed shortly after with a report that indeed something was going on at SAC: President Bush was landing there to go to the bunker. I remember a bombing going on somewhere in the middle east that day and me convinced that was were going to war and calling my girlfrend in hysterics, begging her to come home now. I remember being more afraid than I have ever been in my life. I remember being so angry I went outside at one point in the day and took a hammer to beat on the woodpile. I remember the stunned looks on people's faces. I remember the quiver in the voices of the reporters. I remember the anguish I felt for those people who were trying to find a glimmer of hope that their loved ones had somehow escaped the ruins. I remember being angry at our own arrogance which put us "above" this kind terrorism. Mostly I remember the overwhelming sadness and greif that my life had fundamentally changed, that nothing was going to be the same, that the very core and essence of my being had been changed by this day. I remember. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah191.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-08-19 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 66.106.208.190 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. I witness history on Septemvber 11 by hearing my school principle come over the loud speaker saying," the World Trade Center has been attacked along with the Pentagon and Pennsylvania." I heard the announcement around 9:45am and was very shook by it. The bell rang and went to lunch. All the tv's were on and I was very scared watching people jumping out of windows. During my lunch period I went to call my mom to see if she was ok. I first tried her office phine and there was no answer. I got very nervous that my mom was gone. My mom is a Contracting Officer and she purchases weaponry for the army. I tried her cell phone and reached her and felt good to hear her voice. I told her," mom if they got the Pentagon, they could've gotten the army base." NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. September 11 has affected my life by being nervous everyday about my mom going to work. Everyday I'm relieved to hear my mom's voice on the phone in the morning and seeing her in the afternoon. I'm lucky to have my mom today. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? How important my family is and how much I love them. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? Yes, we did have our flag waing in the air once my parents heard about it. My fellings haven't really changed and yet they have changed. The World Trade Center was like a nation within itself. It was like a financial warehouse. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah1664.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-09 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 207.99.16.132 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. I witnessed history by watching the news on T.V. I remember walking in my sixth grade classroom about 10 minutes before school started and saw a couple of students staring at the T.V. Then I saw my teacher just sitting at his desk and staring off into space with a puzzeled look on his face. I knew then that something dramatic hppened. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. September 11th did not dramatically change my life, but I know it changed the life of many others. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? I think all the people who died and the people that had family and friends that died should be remembered. I also think that all the firefighters and police that helped should also be remembered. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? No, but I had one in my room. Yes, my feelings about the American flag have changed since Sep.11th. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah856.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-03 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 67.114.47.197 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. I witnessed history on September ¹¹th when my dad woke me up and turned on my T.V. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. My life hasn't changed because of September ¹¹th. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? I think the people who lost their lives on September ¹¹th should be remembered the most, both the people inside the World Trade Center and the people inside the planes. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? I did not fly an American flag after the events of September ¹¹th. My feelings about the American flag have not changed as a result of September ¹¹th. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah2814.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-10 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 209.79.72.171 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. i thought oh wow this will go on for a month then it will be over with NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. no not really NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? the people that died NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? yeah sometimes Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah4764.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-12 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 207.28.166.251 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. My alarm goes off at 5:15 am every work day. My daily routine is to get out of bed, go downstairs, let the dogs out, get my morning cup of coffee, let the dogs back in, head upstairs, and take my morning shower. I then start getting ready to go to work. I turn on the morning news, about 5:50 am. I start curling my hair and glance around the dressing area, waiting to hear what the weather will be for the day. Instead on the TV screen are the twin towers covered with what looks like rain or snow, and fire on one side of the building. Shocked, I stop getting ready for work and am watching the TV and realize what I thought was rain was actually glass falling from broken windows. The news people were reporting that a plane had flown into the building. Shock, sick feeling in my stomach. Then, on the screen, comes another plane and I watch and it flies into the other tower. I yell to my husband, who is still asleep in bed, "John, look at the television - this is terrorism!" My husband sits straight up looking toward to television. He announces to me that "I can't see a thing - I don't have my glasses on". When he puts on his glasses, my loving husband says to me, "Barbara, do you know how many airports there are in the NY area...this is obviously an air traffic controller's mistake!" After much discussion, I was able to convince my husband that our Country had been attacked. The air traffic controllers were harmless!! We, as a country, however, will never be the same. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. I feel less safe now. It makes me think about people who spend their lives thinking of ways to hurt others. It makes me sad to think about my 14 year old son, and how his world will be very different from the one grew up in, and wondering how it will be for my 1 year old Granddaughter, Haley. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? We should remember the heroes of 9-11. We should remember how united the country became. How proud we are to be American citizens. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? Absolutely!! We also put the flag stickers on our car windows. I am proud to be an American citizen, and want everyone to know it. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah5217.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-10-09 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 209.79.73.40 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. I was off work that day but woke up at my usual time. I went through my usual morning routine of getting coffee started for myself and my husband and plopped down onto the sofa. I turned on CNN and couldn't believe what I was seeing. They had just reported a plane crashing into the WTC and were showing live footage. At that time, noone was sure if it was just a horrible accident or an intentional act. My husband and I just kept looking at each other. What's going on? Was this really happening? Then, we watched as the second plane hit. All of those innocent lives taken in an instant. Families ripped apart forever. My husband left for work and we hugged each other a little tighter that morning. So many of those killed had gone through their morning in much the same way. It was just another day, right? You get up, have breakfast, get ready for work, fight your way thru traffic and begin your work day. Only this day, so many would never make it back home to their families. I was watching the TV live as people were shown jumping from the office windows, smoke and debris filling the air and then suddenly, down went the tower. I kept thinking of all those people trapped in the wreckage unable to fight their way out, choking on smoke and fumes. And what about the rescue people beneath them? They had fought so bravely to help save those lives and paid the ultimate price. Soon, the second tower collapsed. A wave of fear came over me as it was announced that there were planes unacounted for and the airports were being ordered to shut down. Shut down all the airports in the country? This is insane! What's happening? Then, of course, we found out about the other two planes of destruction. I remember that evening, after my husband returned home from work, we sat outside for a long time. The evening was so still, so silent. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. Most definately. I never imagined anything like 9/11 could happen. Not here, not in America. Those were terrible things you see on TV happening in other countries. Now, it seems as if I almost expect it to happen again. I pray we never have to see this again. My husband and I make sure to take our time with everything now. We enjoy each other, our families and our friends. We reflect back and see how quickly our lives and the lives of those we love can be taken. Every minute is precious to us now. Before, we took time for granted. We planned for tomorrow and next week. Now, we just live each day and thank God for each day we have together. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? That all those lost should be honored and remembered. We must continue to educate our youth so that 9/11 is NEVER forgotten and NEVER repeated. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? Absolutely. I have always been proud to be an American. My Grandfather, Uncle and my husband's Grandfather all fought in WWII. We know what a priviledge it is to be an American. Our flag is a symbol of not just our freedom, but a symbol of our strength, hope and dreams. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah5713.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2003-09-11 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 172.155.158.202 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. Tuesday morning, September 11, I woke up early. I was in New York City job hunting. I was originally from the city, and was really looking forward to returning. I'd arrived just nine days earlier after completing a summer job at a theater company, and I'd been getting a little panicky about the search. I was planning on heading up to NYU, to pick up a job bulletin offered by the career services office. I was supposed to pick it up the day before on my way to a job interview, but had forgotten to bring some documentation. Oh well, I thought as I approached Greenwich Village, I'll pick it up tomorrow. At that point the skies opened up, and the rain came down in buckets. Fortunately, I made it to a CVS at Sheridan Square, where I purchased a small black umbrella, before my interview outfit got completely soaked. The newly acquired bumbershoot got me across the street to the Christopher Street 1 and 9 station, where I hopped on whichever arrived first, and headed to 66th Street. My brother was living in Battery Park City, in a small, but very attractive apartment with a lot of windows overlooking in one direction, the Statue of Liberty, and in the other, the World Trade Center, that was so close, you had to go close to the window and look up. I had a habit of not closing the blinds on those beautiful windows, so the sun was shining in bright. It seemed the rain from the night before had created a beautiful crisp day. My brother wasn't up yet, and since he had to go to work, I figured I'd lie in bed until he left, as to not to get in his way. I did quickly brush my teeth, and then laid back down on the open sofa bed, and turned on Good Day New York. The news was fairly dull that morning. The primary election was going on, and I wasn't registered to vote in Manhattan, so I wasn't too interested. As I flipped between channel five and the Today show, I realized that after a half an hour, I had a pretty good idea as to what was happening in New York City. A little after eight in the morning, I flipped on Northern Exposure, a show that I'd seen pretty much every episode of, but it was more entertaining than watching reporters standing outside of polling places. My brother got up at some point during this time, and didn't seem to be leaving for work. He had found some bugs in his programming, that he was trying to fix. I meanwhile, was getting rather hungry. I was planning on going up to Greenwich Village that morning, thinking I would grab breakfast at the Bagel Buffet on 8th street, but since I was really feeling famished, I was now thinking that instead I may go to Pick A Bagel, which was down the block from the World Trade Center, which was only four blocks away from where we were. I had just completed the debate in my head over where to have breakfast when Northern Exposure came back from it's final commercial break. That's when I heard a roar, like a plane engine, and a big BOOM. I sat up, and looked out the window. A flock of pigeons flew up like something had spooked them. I got off the sofa, and went into my brother's room. "What was that?" I asked, a little nervously. He shrugged his shoulders. I went back into the living room, and looked south. What I heard sounded almost like a plane crash, and I figured with all that water out there, that's logically where it would have happened. As I gazed out of the fifteenth story window, I saw two people on a balcony looking the up at the other way in shock. I got scared that maybe there was an explosion in the building. That's when my brother came out of his bedroom, and had the bravery to look the other way. He gasped. There was a big hole in one of the World Trade Center towers. Slowly, I could see a raging fire shooting out. I grabbed the remote control, and changed the channel to the Today Show. No news. I switched around a few times, until I got to Good Day New York again, which was about to switch to Breaking News. There it was, on TV and right in front of me live. I decided that the smart thing to do would be to get dressed. No time for that shower I was planning. I threw on jeans and a short sleeved shirt, put on my socks, considered my new boots, but opted for my Reeboks since I had a feeling that a lot of walking was in my future. I figured with the biggest building in New York on fire, we should probably get away from it for a while. My brother said he just saw "something" fall out of the building. He had a sick feeling it was a person. He was probably right. I grabbed the shoes out of the closet, grabbed my cell phone and purse, and sat down to put on and tie my sneakers. That's when I heard it. That's when I saw it. The loudest jet engine roar you've ever heard. The engine was louder than the planes you hear when you're at the airport. My brother was still fixated at the window. As the Huge plane passed us, and hit the second tower, he ran behind the open sofa bed and ducked. In total shock I said, what was that? My brother said, That was a second plane. The TV screen turned blue as it lost reception. Being on the fifteenth floor with a perfect view of the end of Manhattan, of where the plane had just come from, I felt like a target. These planes seemed to keep on coming. I didn't want to stay where I was. I had it in my mind that being lower would help. My brother thought we might be safer in the apartment then out on the street. He was thinking of scenes out of Pearl Harbor with planes coming and shooting and dropping bombs. I guess I won the argument; we left. Now that I think of it, I don't know which way we would have been better off. I took one fleeting look at my notebook computer, wondering if I should take it, not knowing when we would be returning. I decided it was too heavy to carry. We left the apartment, and locked the door. In the hallway was a woman in tears. We got into the elevator. We stopped on a lower floor, where a man got in and made a sarcastic remark about planes hitting the World Trade Center. Two more people got in, and didn't say anything. Everyone was in shock, and dealing with it in their own way. The lobby was crowded, but we made our way outside, where the Battery Park City promenade was incredibly crowded. There were people everywhere heading south. Some people were in business suits, some were in casual wear; I even saw two maids from the Millennium Hilton, which was right next to the World Trade Center. Everyone was looking back in disbelief. My brother had decided we should go to his office, which normally would have been a straight walk east to Wall Street, but that day we walked all the way to Battery Park, to the very edge of Manhattan, before turning towards the east. A middle aged woman on a cell phone sank down on a bench yelling, "Joe! Joe! Call me! " She was in tears. Joe must have worked in the Twin Towers. As we rounded the Battery, a group of bystanders were staring in disbelief at the giant blazes. "Omigod!" I heard. "Omigod, he jumped!", said a tall, young, black man. He held up his fingers in a V shape as he watched the victim fall to his death. "Peace, my brother", he said. I couldn't look. I couldn't watch anymore death that day. We finally reached Wall Street, which was completely littered with papers. My brother commented on how messy the street was that day, before we realized that these papers were from the World Trade Center. I looked down and saw a singed document marked "Confidential". We passed the New York Stock Exchange. That building made me nervous. It was certainly a target, and the office was just across the street and down the block from it. I tried to put that thought out of my mind. I looked down, and saw a pair of women's shoes. They were green sandals, and had been left behind by someone. We entered the office building. We ran into one of my brother's colleagues, who looked freaked out like everyone else. I voiced my thoughts on why I was there. "I'm scared to be alone". I signed in, and went up to the ninth floor, where my brother's office was. The office was dark and empty. His company was located on two floors, we descended to the lower floor, where everyone was talking in small groups or watching one of the two giant televisions. NBC was playing on one of them, the other had CNN. We chose NBC by reason of location, and became glued to the action that was happening only blocks away. One of the first people we saw standing around the office was a friend of my brother who didn't work for his company. He worked in the second tower of the World Trade Center. His office wasn't too far from the place of impact. When my brother watched that plane hit that building, he immediately thought of this friend. He was very happy to see he hadn't made it to work quite yet. That friend only wanted to talk about the football program which had been my brother's biggest priority about a half hour before. I suppose he didn't want to think about what could have happened, had he been early for work. Since I was in complete shock, and not particularly interested in football under the best of circumstances, I stayed watching the television. The president spoke briefly, and the news anchor mentioned that the president was in Florida, which I found was an unnecessary comment. Planes were crashing into buildings. We don't need to tell anyone where our public officials are. The next thing I remember hearing was a plane went into the Pentagon. The world was ending. I felt that these planes were going to keep crashing, and there would be no end in sight. I That's when I remembered that my father was on a business trip in Washington. Now I was really scared. I was also adding a sense of dread to my already major sense of fear. I grabbed an orange juice from the company kitchen, and drank it rather quickly. My cell phone went off. It informed me I had new voice mail, but I wasn't able to hear it, or dial out. I figured it was my mother, who was in Los Angeles. I hadn't tried calling her before, because I didn't want to wake her up with this awful news. I used one of the company's phones, and called Mom. I told her we were at the office, and we were both fine. I asked her if she had heard from Dad yet, but she hadn't. I asked her where he was staying, and it wasn't anywhere near Arlington, so I told her he was probably safe. We hung up in order to keep the lines clear on both ends. I went back to the television, which was showing the image of the plane hitting the second tower over and over again. I couldn't bear to watch the moment of impact. I felt like if I didn't look, it wasn't real. I didn't really happen. Unable to watch anymore, I walked over to my brother and his group of friends. He was sitting at a computer, showing the football program to his friends. They were talking about the Monday Night Football game the night before. I noticed one guy on a computer was using Instant Messenger to chat with people. I was tempted to ask him to send a message to one of my friends who I knew would be online, but I didn't. The lights flickered, and there was a roar, as if another low flying plane was nearby. I looked towards the window, and coming towards me was a cloud of smoke, dust and fire. I thought that my earlier fears had emerged, and The New York Stock Exchange had been attacked. A man in a shirt and tie yelled for everyone to get downstairs. A young woman in front of me as I turned around, screamed and ran towards the staircase. She was the only one really showing outward signs of panic. We ran down the eight flights of stairs. I couldn't help but think how the countless fire drills I'd experienced in school seemed to help. My brother was two people behind me. Even as I ran down, I made sure to keep him in my sights. We reached the bottom, and smoke filled the stairwell. We were stopped by the building staff. The wouldn't let us out of the stairwell. I was standing next to my brother's good friend, and thinking, "This is it. This is the end of my life." I didn't want my life to end. I wanted to see what would happen next. Finally we were let out of the stairwell, but told we were not to go outside. I still had no idea what was happening. Then finally someone said it. One of the towers had collapsed. The entire lobby was filled with smoke and dust, and outside it was black as night. My mouth filled with some kind of grime I could taste on my teeth. My mind filled with questions. Was it true? Were the Twin Towers really no longer twins? How did it fall? Did the top fall off like in disaster movies? Was the apartment all right? A man entered the lobby. He had been caught outside during the collapse. He was a black man, but the layer of dust on him had turned him grey, like a statue. The building manager brought him downstairs to wash up. The building staff brought some water coolers into the lobby, and I helped myself to a cup of water, and fetched one for my brother. Soon, outside began to lighten up. We were told it was safe to go back upstairs. I sat down again in front of the television, and thinking that they were showing earlier footage, I watched the tower fall down. No, that was live. The second tower was down. There was no more World Trade Center. My brother muttered, "Homeless". The consensus of the group was that we were just as safe upstairs as down, so we stayed where we were as day turned into night once again outside. A couple of men started tearing up tee shirts and wetting them to make breathing easier. I got over to a phone and called my mother again. She'd spoken to my father, he'd been in the Capital, which had been evacuated. He was now back at his hotel, and he mentioned seeing smoke from the Pentagon in the distance. She told me that one of my best friends who was in the midwest called to make sure I was okay. I then called another friend, who would probably be able to get in touch with some people who wouldn't have my mother's number. She was happy to hear from me. Once the skies began to clear from black to grey, I quickly went to the bathroom, as I was nervous that something else would happen if I dared be unprepared even for a second. When I got out, the order had been made to evacuate lower Manhattan. My brother and I looked out the window. "Surreal", he said. It looked like the last days of Pompei, or the surface of the moon. A man was downstairs handing something out. For a moment we actually thought it was one of those guys handing out flyers for some business, but later figured out he was handing out breathing masks for people. We grabbed a piece of damp cloth each, and some orange juice to travel with, and were lead downstairs by the building manager. It was really hard to breathe outside, and I clutched the wet rag to my mouth and nose. We were with a group of people all evacuating the surrounding buildings. We were directed to the FDR drive on the east side of Manhattan. My eyes were stinging, and my throat was getting tired of breathing this toxic air. All the parked cars were covered with a fine layer of dust, and we made foot prints as we walked. There were police officers directing pedestrian and car traffic. The only vehicles on the street that were moving were emergency vehicles heading downtown. When we reached the South Street Seaport, the air finally cleared. I looked back at the plume of smoke that was rising from where those beautiful buildings were supposed to be. We walked all the way uptown on first avenue, until we got to the UN where we were directed further west. The walk was one of my most memorable in New York City walks ever. Everyone jumped and looked up when we all heard yet another defining loud roar, and we were all relieved to find out it was just a motorcycle. The nervous looking police cadets were on the street, since I'm sure they wanted to have every available person working. There were lines around the block at the hospitals with people donating blood. There were people standing on the street watching television through store windows, something I'd only seen in nostalgic movies. I suppose the strangest thing were the fighter jets flying high above. We walked to Central Park. We purchased a transistor radio at a local store so we could keep up on the news. I called my mother again to let her know what was going on now. We spent the rest of the day picking up supplies before heading to my Aunt's home in Brooklyn, where we stayed for two nights, (the first one I slept about an hour and a half), before my father was able to rent a car in Washington D.C. and pick us up. We drove across country in four days, and settled at my parents house in Los Angeles. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. My brother lost his job shortly after that horrible day, and hasn't been back to work since. I finally got on a plane after 14 months. I'm much more nervous, a little more prejudice, and much more aware of what's happening in the news. I miss New York City greatly. I miss those buildings. I miss those people. A neighbor of mine from when I was a kid worked for Cantor Fitzgerald, and was murdered in that tower, along with so many others. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? Everything. We shouldn't forget a single detail. It's hard to be prepared for the possible disasters that are coming our way, but we shouldn't get lazy. Remember everything, lest we repeat it. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? No, I didn't fly a flag. I felt it would be a meaningless gesture for me at the time. I was very upset, and I'm very patriotic, so I didn't feel it was neccessary. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah5349.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-12-29 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 67.34.6.92 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. "As for man, his days are as grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more" These words kept ringing in my ears as I was watching live the devastation and the tragedy of that sad day. How fleeting one's life can be. Early that morning about 8:30a.m. I was on the road to my supervisor's home for a meeting in a Montreal, Quebec suburb of Lorraine. It was being held there (with two other colleagues) because he had recently had a leg infection and it was difficult for him to get to the office. I vaguely heard about an accident at the WTC on the car radio but had not really been listening. When i got to his house, one of my co-workers said something serious was happening in NYC. We turned on the television about 9:00 am to be greeted with the unbelievable scenes of destruction and repeats of the first plane hitting the tower. It was so surreal. But then we were witnessing LIVE the second plane hitting a few minutes later....we all couldn:t fathom the images....Too much to absorb. We all went silent....We remained glued to the set the full morning and again saw LIVE the falling of both towers....the Pentagon being hit and the downed plane in Pennsylvania. We were witnesses to history. It felt like a movie just as it was in 1963 when, as a 15 year old, I saw Jack Ruby shoot Lee Harvey Oswald live on national TV. The horror and sadness were overwhelming. Especially when the initial estimate of lost lives was being estimated at 10,000 or more....I wondered where God was that day. Was this an omen of what the new Millenium had in store for mankind ? A period of upheaval, destruction and pure evil ? I was numb for a long time afterwards.... NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. Sorrow washes over me very easily now..... NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? The brotherly love that led to the ultimate sacrifices of many firemen, policemen & countless others. No greater love than to sacrifice one's own life. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? Yes, a large one in my living room.... I am a Canadian and have had a mini US flag in my car since 1985.....I just feel that, with all of its faults, shortcomings and errors, America is a beacon unto the world. All my life, I could never understand why the USA is often put down when they have shown the greatest generosity and spirit of any nation in history. God bless America !!!!! Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah4235.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-11 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 64.10.91.70 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. I was driving to my job as an 11th grade US History & AP Art History teacher when I heard on the radio that a plane had struck the WTT. I called my husband who was still at home & told him to turn on the TV. Once I arrived at school I was able to turn on the TV & watch the horror unfold with my students. I couldn't turn the TV off all school day. There wasn't much discussion, just shock that this was happening. It was even more frightening for me because I told my students that I had had lunch in the Windows on the World restaurant at the top of the WTT years ago. The next day we did very little in class except to watch the news and discuss the events, even in my Advanced Placement Art History classes. Sadly this tragic event was the best "teachable moment" in my 31 years of teaching. At Back to School night my parents nodded their heads in agreement when I said we were living in a time when it was important to understand and appreciate our democracy and freedom and that the recent tragic events were going to make US History much more meaningful and relevant for the students this year. When school started this year I looked back at my last year's teacher's plan book where I write out detailed lesson plans. I had hastily wrote on Tuesday, 9-11 "disaster struct at W. Trade Ctr.-discussed and watched T.V. didn't do much" It was an eery feeling. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. I appreciate life much more and I am more willing to do things and go places than before Sept. 11th. But I won't go up to the tops of large skyscrapers ever again. I was in Chicago this summer and saw the Sears Tower and John Hancock buildings. I have been on the top of those buildings and enjoyed the view-never again. It is much easier to engage my students in my US History classes since 9-11. So much of what has happened in American history, esp. since the 70s can be related to today's foreign policy decisions and possible reasons why the terrorists' attacks occured. Students seem to be paying more attention, esp. when I make reference to 9-11. (At least I hope they are more attentive and hence remember more!) NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? We need to seriously examine America's role in foreign policy. There is a big difference between "ruling" and "leading"-we have done too much of the former , especially under the Bush administration and not enough of the latter. We need to start a serious dialogue that transcends politics and self-interest. It is terrible that one is considered a traitor to our country simply for questioning our administration's war on terrorism policies! NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? Yes, I also bought a car flag. Almost everyone in Orange County was flying one on their cars and on their house. No, my feelings haven't changed about the flag. I have always been patriotic. I have traveled a lot overseas and appreciate how good my life is in America and all the wonderful freedoms we have. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah2081.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-10 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 68.4.197.130 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. On September 11, 2001, right before lunch, I was at work siting at my desk when one of my co-workers, Helen Strelbecki, called and asked - "Did you hear about the plane crashing into the World Trade Center?" She was listening to her radio. She went on to say that they thought terrorists had done it. I thought maybe she wasn't getting the story right or was listening to some skit on one of those talk radio shows. I think I even made some sort of off-handed remark that it'd probably be on the 6:00 news, still not realizing the severity of what had happened. No sooner had I hung up the phone, the Operating Manager, Jim Loudin, came to my cubicle and said, "Donna, we're shutting the office and plant down --- terrorists have attacked the World Trade Center." I felt like I was in one of those B-rated "attack-of-the -aliens" movies. I asked him what was going on and he then told me that a commercial airliner full of passengers had been flown into the World Trade Center by terrorists. I was stunned. It was a bright, sunny day, and I remember as I drove home it seemed as if the world and everything in it was standing still even though I could see cars moving and people walking, jogging, children playing, my car radio was on - but the world seemed eerily still and quiet - like the earth was holding its breath. When I got home and began watching the news coverage with my family - that's when the severity of it all hit. Not one plane - but two planes crashed into the WTC! And if that wasn't enough, a plane had crashed into the Pentagon, and another plane had crashed in Pennsylvania and it was supposedly on its way to Washington too. What in the world was going on? The School of Court Reporting where I was a part-time evening instructor called - there would be no school that evening. Afterwards, I cried I think every day for a week and then off and on for about a month. I felt terribly sad but for some reason not frightened. It seemed the more I cried the madder I got. I thought of all the people killed and the precious families left to mourn them. Still reeling from the death of my own father, I knew how they felt - to have someone you love just vanish from this earth - your life - never to be seen on this earth again. The lost was brought closer to home by one of my evening students. When classes resumed, one of my typing students came up right before a test and informed me that her mother's brother and sister were on one of the planes that crashed into the WTC. They were on their way to the family reunion. She was visibly shaken and I again was stunned. All I could do was hug her. When she left, I bit my lip to keep from crying and informed the rest of the students. It was a sad, miserable time. It still makes me cry when I think about it. It still makes me mad!!! NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah3638.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-11 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 216.28.237.130 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. I WAS WAKING UP TO GET MY SON READY FOR SCHOOL. OF COURSE THE FIRST THING I DO IS TURN ON THE TV TO WATCH THE NEWS. NOT EVEN 30 SECONDS AFTER I TURNED ONT HE TV, DID THE NEWS BROADCAST THAT A PLANE HAD HIT ONE OF THE TOWERS. AT FIRST I WAS THINKING THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE PLANE...AND NOT TOO LONG AFTER, THE SECOND HIT. AT THAT TIME I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG. SO LIKE THE REST OF THE WORLD...I CONTINUED TO WATCH AND FEEL HELPLESS BECAUSE THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO EXCEPT PRAY. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. I FEEL LIKE MOST AMERICANS DO AT THIS POINT...NEVER TAKE LIFE FOR GRANTED. I LOOK AT PEOPLE TOTALLY DIFFERENT NOW, IN A GOOD WAY. AND MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT THIS TRAGEDY HAS AFFECTED. BUT WE ARE AMERICANS AND WE WILL STAND STRONG. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? WE SHOULD REMEMBER HOW SHORT LIFE CAN BE, AND ALWAYS KNOW WE CAN DEPEND ON EACH OTHER WHEN TIMES GET TOUGH. THE LORD WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS. WITH ALL THE VIOLENCE IN THIS WORLD, I BELIEVE HE MAY HAVE BEEN TELLING US THAT THERE ARE WORSE THINGS OUT THERE, AND WE NEED TO STOP THIS MADNESS AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER INSTEAD OF HURTING ONE ANOTHER. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? I FLEW A SMALL FLAG OUT OF THE WINDOW OF MY CAR. I DIDN'T GET WRAPPED UP IN THE WHOLE I NEED A HUGE FLAG ORDEAL. IT'S SAD THAT IT TOOK ATRAGEDY LIKE THIS TO GET US AMERICANS TO FLY A FLAG IN THE FIRST PLACE...BUT NOW I BELIEVE EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS. I LOVE ALL OF YOU, AND GOD BLESS YOU. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah4953.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-13 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 65.35.16.208 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. My husband called me early on the morning of September 11th to tell me that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. I thought he was talking about a small plane , perhaps a small comuter plane. I did not think much of it. I work at one of the museums on the Mall in Washington, D.C. As I entered the hallway near my office, colleagues were clustered around a tv, frozen in shock. One woman was crying and shaking. No one knew what to do. We heard that the State Department had been hit and then the Pentagon. I have small children, who were in school in nearby Alexandria, Virginia. At that moment my mother instincts took over and I raced to my car to get our of D.C. and back to Alexandria to pick up my children. Traffic was dreadful it was very difficult to get out of the city. I managed to make it across the 14th street bridge before they shut it down. People on foot were making their way across the bridge as well. As I passed the Pentagon on my right, great clouds of acrid black smoke were billowing out of the building. I made it to school, picked up my children and headed home where we waited for my husband to arrive. After viewing the news briefly I turned it off. It was too gastly. My children were frightened. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. I have begun to consider what being an American is about and how we are perceived by other peoples. It came as a great shock to me that we could be hated so much. I love to travel am curious by nature and love to experience other cultures. I never imagined that others could feel so hostile towards the United States. My youngest child developed an anxiety problem and a preoccupation with death. For 14 months he was not able to sleep through the night and woke up with night terrors. This has finally passed. However, terrorism is now something my small children think about and worry about. We are certainly no longer as complacent about our security as we used to be. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? I think the world should remember the innocent people who jumped to their deaths, burnt to death, died trying to save others, those whose lives are now maimed and hurt. The senselessness of it fills me with grief. I hope that people everywhere realize that violence only breeds violence. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? Yes, we did fly our flag. I felt happy to do so. In the past, if I flew our flag , even on patriotic holidays, I always felt that somehow I was not really supposed to do it. I had a weird feeling that for an American to show patriotism was considered taboo. I no longer feel that way and fly my flag proudly and with pleasure. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah5342.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-12-19 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 207.79.66.3 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. LOOKING AT THE MORNING NEWS,I WAS HAVEING BREAKFAST,LIVING IN THE NEW YORK!WHEN THE FIRST PLANE HIT,I GUESS IT WAS ONLY A ACCIDENT!BUT WHEN THE SECOND PLANE HIT THE WTC TOWER 2,THATS WHEN I SAID THIS IS A ACT OF WAR!I HAVE FRIENDS AND COUSINS WHO WHERE DOWNTOWN ,WORKING IN AND AROUND THE WTC! NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. MY LIFE HAS CHANGED,I AM THE AUTHOR OF UNITED WE MARCH,A THEME GIVEN TO ALL THE HEROS OF 911!AND TO SUPPORT OUR TROOPS!SENT TO AMERICAN HISTORY IN PATRIOTIC SOUNDS AND MUSIC!STILL TO THIS DAY I DUE NOT KNOW HOW I DID THIS,I AM NOT A PROFESSIONAL MUSICAN!THIS HAD TO BE A GOD SENT!ALL I CAN SAY THINGS HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT FOR ME SINCE 9/11/01.MAY THE DAY COME THAT ALL NATIONS COME TO PEACE! NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? THE WAY PEOPLE CARED IN HELPING!THE BRAVE FIREMAN THE POLICE AND EMTS WHO LOST THERE LIVES,AND THE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD TRADE CENTER!ALSO THE PLANES THAT WENT DOWN!ALSO THE PENTAGON!WE WILL BE MUCH STRONGER AS A NATION!WE ARE THE PEOPLE OF THE, ( UNITED STATES OF AMERICA) NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? MY FLAG HAS BEEN UP SINCE 911,STILL TO THIS DAY AND WILL NOT COME DOWN! Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah6274.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2003-09-15 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 205.184.179.217 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. 9/11 - Austin - TX On the morning of 9/11 I was woken up by the phone ringing, it was my girlfriend. She was blurting out words and obviously upset, it took several seconds to register what she was saying. The world trade center had been attacked. I told her to come home from her work near the state capital at once. I then got up and went through to the spare room where my mother who was on holiday from Scotland was sleeping. She had been visiting me, and had enjoyed her vacation so far. I told her something terrible had happened and that she needed to get up right away. We both sat and stared in disbelief at the images on CNN. My mouth was wide open, as were my eyes. Although I could not see what the people of NY were seeing, I could see it on their faces. As the towers came down, so did our hopes. I had to rationalize that there would be survivors trapped underneath, they would find them, lots of them, there had to be holes. Days passed and nothing. My prayers go out to all who lost family and loved ones. God be with you all. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. I try to value those around me, and the moments I have more, because they wont come again. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? That it was a day a lot of innocent people, and brave rescue personel, lost there lives. It was a day of religious evil. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? No I did not fly the flag. Yes my feelings of the flag changed. It wasnt just a bunch of colors anymore, it was a symbol of strength, unity and sacrifice. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah3030.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-11 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 66.25.203.135 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. On September 11, 2001 I was in West Palm Beach, FL. That morning I attended the kick-off breakfast for the local United Way. In leaving the hotel I was listening to the radio and picked up on the end of a conversation of a plane crashing into a building. Upon scanning radio stations, not many were playing music. I started to wonder what was going on!?!??!?!?! The constant talk had me shocked to hear what happend and the continued chain of events that morning. I went back to work at the municipality I worked for and remembered feeling scared. SCARED? In the good ol' USA? Yes, scared. What was happening? What can I do? My mother called, she was shakken by the accounts also. She told me to be careful, knowing I worked for a government agency. Her company's main branch was located in tower 2 of the WTC. She knew of people there. Now 1 year later I can still remember laying in bed at night and hearing the military air craft flying overhead. We didn't live to far from the coast and the constant sound of jets flying overhead during a 'No Fly' time was frightening. One evening my boyfriend and I went to the local inlet to the Atlantic Ocean; neither of us could sleep. As I stood out on the jetty you could hear the turbulance form the jets flying overhead, but you could't see a thing in the moonlight sky. Why I wondered? Why did so many have to die? Not only New York, but D.C. and PA too! I will never forget the fate of the thousands of people that day. As the television showed the towers collapsing, the Pentagon crushed and the scorched Earth in PA, all I could think of was the people. The people, the people. Those people in those planes, buildings, cars, streets. Did I personally know anyone killed by this dreadful menace? No. But the effect it has on me, I cannot explain. I just want to cry, I want to absorb some of the pain they may have felt knowing they were going to die and the grief, the grief that the friends, family and citizens feel. I will not let terrorism change me. I will forever remember the acts of those who have changes my country. But I WILL NOT LET THEM TAKE MY COUNTRY DOWN. People commit terrible crimes everyday. Americans kill other Americans. In the end we all have to answer to a higher power. You can kill Americans, but more will be born. You can kill Americans, but more will defect. You can kill Americans, but more will be found. You can kill Americans, but you cannot take the American Spirit. If there is anything that I hope is learned from this tragic event it is: That we are all people. We share the Earth with other people, animals, plants, water, minerals, fire, elements, etc. Because I do not look like you does nt make me bad. Learn to accept one another regardless of skin color, religion, tastes, or choice of companion. Racism comes in many forms and one particular race built this great country. Yes, built it with their own physical labor. Please be proud of who you are and accept those that are not like you. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. YES! I grieve for people I never knew. I try very hard to accept everyone for who they are. I will not change the way I live my life. I live my life for me. I am a human being and I have choices I make on my own. I will not die regreting anything. Tomorrow is not promised, but the moment I am in is what I have control of. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? Not only did people die in New York, but also at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania. Those who parished were not only police and firefighter/ems, there were business people, laborers, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, children, white people, black people, yellow people, brown people, women, men, babies, adults, gay people, straight people, rich people, poor people, etc. They all suffered the SAME FATE. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? The American flag has always stood for FREEDOM. Many people before 9-11-01 died for the American flag. It will always be a symboly of FREEDOM and the history of our great country. WHITE is for PURITY RED is for VALOR BLUE is for JUSTICE Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah4180.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-11 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 204.32.9.30 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. It was a day that the world will never forget..... My personal experience began with a phone call from my step-father telling me to turn on the television-----and then the next several hours were horrific for everyone and personally worrisome for me because I didn't know where my daughter was. She was working about six blocks from the World Trade Center and, when the first plane hit, her building was evacuted immediately. They were not told anything so when she and her friends got to the street they headed toward the trade center thinking that perhaps a small plane had crashed and wanting to see what was going on. They saw the second plane hit and then were horrified when the first building collapsed. They just stood and stared not believing what they were seeing until the cloud of debis started coming towards them and they turned and ran. When they got to the Brooklyn Bridge the police made them go over it. People slowed to a walk on the bridge thinking that they were safe but my daughter, still not knowing if this was a war and if there would be another attack, took her shoes off and ran faster over the bridge! When she got to Brooklyn she borrowed money, having left everything behind when she evacuated her office, and tried to call her husband in New Jersey but that service wasn't available so she called me. After I asked all the questions about how she was, I told her that the second tower had collapsed. She turned and told the crowd that was nearby about this and I could hear them passing the word and gasping. It was very weird that they were a part of this horrible day and I was the one to tell them about the second tower! NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. I live in a small town where changes are not evident so the only difference occurs when I travel. However, emotionally I guess that I've changed. I am not obsessed but I am waiting for the next thing to happen and I'm afraid that I am more aware of the world's vulnerability. I do worry about my daughter who still works in Manhatten. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? I think that we should remember that a whole religion did not do this horrible thing---just a few irrational people. We need to never forget and never be satified until we have eradicated terrorism. And we need to always remember those who died and those who were injured and their families and friends. So many people were affected..May God Bless them all. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? I did. I have always been a very patriotic person but not necessarily the flag waving kind. Now I have a flag flying at my home and one in the back window of my car. This American unity is something good that has come from a horrific experience. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah5263.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-10-29 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 63.214.67.69 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. I witness the history of September 11th all on TV. I was still at school at that time, hearing about my classmates talking about how two planes hit two buildings. I didn't really understand what they were talking about until i got home and turn on the TV and saw the World Trade Center getting hit by another plane Live. I had a lot of questions on my head because I didn't know what was happening or was it an accident. But soon when I heard it was not an accident, I was suprise because this is a thing I thought will not happen to our country. I was still watching TV, flipping through channels to see if there was any information I did not hear about on the other channels because I wanted to know what had happen and how it did. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? I think the people who helped rescue and risk thier own lives during September 11, should be remember for their herioc effort. Also and how the people on the planes, help battle the terriost on board to stop it from hitting another building. The WTC tower should also be remember too because it was where 1000s of innocent lives were lost. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? Yes, I hunged up the American Flag on my house, to show that we are proud to be an American. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah2376.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-10 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 209.79.73.111 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" Stories Submitted Online Description An account of the resource Visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's, "Bearing Witness to History" online exhibition submitted these reflections beginning in 2002. NMAH Story NMAH Story: Story How did you witness history on September 11th? Share your experience. I was on my way to work in DC on Washington blvd right next to the Pentagon. I was listening to the reports on the radio about the World Trade Center. I had just gotten off my cell phone and had told my brother "I hope they don't hit the Pentagon because I am stuck in traffic right next to it". Not a minute later there was a huge explosion, I ducked, and in so doing bumped the car in front of me. I got out of my car and looked over at the Pentagon and there was gray smoke everywhere. I tried to call 911 but it was busy so I ran over and jumped the guard rail to see if I could help. There was a man by the heliport putting on a fire suit (I guess because of the heliport they have firemen there), I ran up and asked him what I could do to help, he said "Get the f$!* out of here". So I ran back to my car and just then another plane was over head (it turned out to be nothing), everyone was yelling to get out of there so I hopped in my car and crossed the median and left. I stopped by my son's school just to see him, more for me than him, then I went home and sat on the couch and cried like a baby. I don't know if I cried for me or everyone else, probably both. Part of me is wishing I wouldn't have listened to that fireman and I just would have gone in and helped. My wife keeps telling me that I did the right thing and that she is proud of me for trying to help, but I can't help think that maybe I could have saved just one person. I think about all those people who died everyday. I will NEVER forget them and I am sorry I didn't do more. God Bless America. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. I think about death more, my own and those who died. I am no longer afraid of dying. I am only afraid of not being there for my family. A part of me will always wonder if I shouldn't have done more for the people there. My mind knows when you ordered to leave the pentagon grounds that is what you should do, but my heart cries out for those I didn't help. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? The people who died should never be forgotten, and although I did not know any of them, I will never forget them. NMAH Story: Flag Did you fly an American flag after the events of September 11th? Have your feelings about the American flag changed as a result of September 11th? I have a flag on my car that I will never take off and everyday I put on my pentagon memorial pin. My feelings about the flag, and all that it stands for, have always been great and that will never change. I love this country and would lay down my life for it in an instant. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource nmah20.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-06-18 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 169.253.4.8