46 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 walking into my second block language arts class. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. Yes, I haven't ridden an airplane since. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? That it was a brutal act of terrorism. 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. Not really.. 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 nmah5381.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. 2003-01-09 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 168.11.56.10 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 working in Washington, DC on 9/11/01 watching the the WTC disater unfold on TV. From the 5th floor of our office building I looked out and could see the Pentagon hit. It was a strange scenario to look at the TV one minute and watch the WTC come down and then glance out the window and see thick black smoke rising from the Pentagon that was just hit. We were told the State Department was bombed and that a bomb went off on the "Mall" and that a plane was circling Dulles headed for the Capital and that we had to evacuate. My brother was actaully catching a plane from Dulles Airport, VA to California that day and was there when the terrorists took the doomed CA bound flight. We both thought the plane was heading down the Potomac for Reagan National when it veered off and hit the Pentagon. He didn't fly for 8 months. What struck me the most was the silence in the air except for the F-16 fighters circling overhead. Just the thought of armed F-16's circling over the DC area looking for a civilian airliner to shoot down was daunting. I went to the Pentagon on 9/12/01 and it was still on burning till about 11am. I stood there refusing to believe someone came all the way from a cave in Afghanistan to take an airplane from Dulles and fly it into the side of the Pentagon. My mind was numb. I couldn't even have imagined the WTC carnage. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. 9/11/01 did change my life. I was recalled back to active duty for 3 years to fight the War on Terrorism as an Apache Helicopter Pilot. Less then 10 months later I would find myself fighting on Afghan soil. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? Everything! 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 nmah6722.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. 2004-09-10 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 66.57.142.52 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 work at a 4th/5th grade school. I heard about the attacks and immediately turned on the tv to see the first building come down. My heart was in my throat. I was really terrified, but had to retain composure for all the children. We were told to tell the children that something had happened to our country and they were instructed to go home and ask their parents about it. We felt this was something that the parents might want to handle personally as everyone handles grief in their own way. For weeks on in - I felt a lonliness - I couldn't watch the tv without crying and feeling so empty. For the first time in my life I was as scared as a child even though I was 40. I have never felt like our security was an issue in the United States because we have always had such freedom. My own children asked question after question. I still have my daughters journal from last year. She was in first grade. Her entry for September 11, 2001 was .... "The bildings fell down". She drew the Trade Towers and a sad face. It broke my heart. Then after the shock of it all it renewed my faith in America to see how many people responded in compassionate and patriotic ways. Through something so tragic, we have gained....we are ONE. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. It is so hard to keep the mentality of counting your blessings everyday with all that we have to do in our everyday lives. I want to live each day as my last and I have made a better effort to not let the small stuff matter so much. It is hard to do, but I try. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? All the people who went to work that day not knowing that it was their last is a tribute to the American Spirit. The firefighters and policeman who took a oath with their career to serve and protect and they died doing exactly that. 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? We flew our flag alot prior to this happening, but on 9/11 we started flying it day and night, with a light on it at night. It felt so good to see more people being patriotic, but it still makes me sad that not everyone flies the flag. 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 nmah712.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. 2002-09-01 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 205.188.208.134 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 had just moved to Seattle and woke up that morning to the phone ringing. It was my mom and she told me that something terrible had happened - to turn on the television. By that time it was already 11am on the east coast and the news stations kept playing footage of the towers coming down, over and over. It took me a while to comprehend what had happened, it was as if my brain couldn't process something so horrible. I just sat on my bed and cried as I watched the exodus out of Manhattan, the people covered in dust and thought about my sister who lives there. I remember not being able to turn off the tv, I just wanted to hear one piece of good news- that things were going to be okay. I kept thinking about the people who got up that morning to go to work, kissed their kids goodbye, and never came back. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. My everday life is much the same as before Sep. 11 except that my heart feels heavier in my chest. On that day I witnessed the very best and worst that humankind is capable of. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? September 11 made me realize that no person or people can insulate themselves from the rest of the world. This planet we live on is so small, there can be no us versus them. We would do well to remember the words of John Donne... No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of they friends`s or of thine own were. Any man`s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind. And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee. 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 the American flag after September 11th, but it wasn't a conscious decision not to do so. More important to me than the actual flag itself is the ideology that it represents, namely freedom. Freedom of expression, freedom of choice, the freedom of an individual to live their life how they choose, and even the freedom to protest against the very government the flag represents. 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 nmah210.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. 158.111.4.25 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 the beginning of the Fall Quarter at Louisiana Tech University and I was working Class Registration. Students began coming in reporting that a plane had flown into the World Trade Center. At first we did not know what to think - everyone thought it was an accident and we did not have access to a TV. There were about ten students workers, including me, in the Registration Center and we started asking every student who came in what was happening "in the outside world." Finally, one of us was able to load www.cnn.com and we kept that one computer free to keep up with the events. Many of us stopped our work to pray and all of us worried and wondered if this was only the first of many attacks on the U.S. When the reality of the situation starting to sink in nervousness and fear did as well. Even though we were in Ruston, LA, far from the NYC, it seemed everyone knew someone that may have been affected by this horrible tragedy. I worried about my good friend's brother who worked for the State Department. Then it hit a little closer to home when reports of Air Force One landing in Bossier City, LA, came in. Barksdale Air Force Base is not only close to my hometown and only minutes away from my fiance, but it also houses a LA Tech campus. Classes were still going on, but no one could talk about anything besides the attacks. Lines for gasoline were 10 deep in this small LA town - people were filling up generators and gas tanks and stocking up on food and bottled water. Since I had just arrived on campus only days earlier, I did not have my cable hooked up yet so I sat at friend's house for hours watching and worrying and trying to stay in contact with my family. My father was in Colorado on his annual hunting trip. I assumed he was the only one in America who did not know what was going on. When he came home, days later, he said someone had hiked up the mountain to inform the hunters in case they had family involved, but that he had also noticed the morning of 9/11, that no planes were flying overhead and how unusual that was. If we only knew that morning how unusual everything would seem in the days to come. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. My life, per se, has not changed, but my attitude. I have always loved my country, but today I am proud. I see other countries celebrating at the loss of lives that day and I see hatred in the eyes of our enemy, and to them I say "I AM PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!" And I will support all measures to see that they are brought to justice. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? I think the spirit of unity should be remembered. When strangers helped strangers, when firemen and other officers knowingly ran into a fatal situation, when people from all over the USA and the world pulled together and gave blood, money, time, & supplies. Also we should not forget the terror of it all and the anger that we felt. We should not forget the reason we are fighting a war against terror and we should continue fighting that war to avenge the wrong done to us. 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 a flag simply because in my apartment there was no place to put one. However, the flag is now an important symbol to me. It invokes courage and sadness all in the same glance. 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 nmah5220.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. 2002-10-10 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 63.99.156.4 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. When I first heard about the tragedy that had occured on september 11th, I was sitting in a class room, it was the early morning, I'm not exaxtly sure what time it was, but I was sitting in English class with a teacher, who has since then passed away. I remember just sitting there and feeling this overwhelming feeling come over me, that it wasn't possible. For some reason I just didn't think it was possible, we had a prayer for all those who were on the plane and in the world trade center at the time it happened. Then we carried on with class. Then I went on to the other classes of the day and there were many rumors about hijacked planes flying around all the major cities and some of the being gunned down by the air force. My mother worked at logan airport and I was a bit worried about her. However, close to the end of the day when I was in the science lab, one of the members of the faculty, came up to me, and said that my mother had just called from the house and said that everything was alright. That lifted a great bruden off my shoulders. It wasn't until I got home and watched the news that I got the whole story, that both world trade center towers had fallen down after being struck by hijacked planes, and that a hijacked plane crashed somewhere in pennsylvannia, and another plane was flown into part of the pentagon. When I found out about all these tragedies I was struck with disbelief and amazment, I've talked to alot of people about what happened, but I think its just one of those things in life that are just too hard, or even impossible to put into words. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. My mother who worked for U.S. air lost her job, and there is also just that feeling that will never leave you, about what happened. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? I think everything should be remembered.However, most importantly I think the courage of the people who saved many lives, the stories that were told about a man saving an elevator full of people, or men and women who went back into the building to help their fellow co-workers and such stories like that of true courage and bravery should be remembered. I also think that the people who parished in the tragedies should be remembered and not only them, but their loved ones who it affected the most. 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 got the american flag sticker for my car, and I flew a flag off of the back of my boat. I would defiantly say that I have much more respect for the flag, and I take alot more pride in it. It is also a constant reminder of the people not on in the september 11th tragedies, but others who have died for freedom, for this country. 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 nmah2909.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. 66.31.173.118 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 day started out let everyone else's that day - absolutely normal. I had already climbed out of bed, taken my shower, and started drinking my first cup of coffee. I normally didn't watch the television in the morning, but this morning I decided I would just turn it on to have some "background noise" as I got ready for work. The very first image I saw on the screen was the image of the a plane hitting a tall building. I live in Dallas, Texas and I've only been to New York one time in my life when I was a kid, so at the time, I didn't realize which building I was seeing, or where the image was being broadcast from. The reporter was in shock and he said that one plane may be considered an accident, but that TWO planes couldn't possibly be an accident. I remember thinking "Two planes? What in the world is going on?" After watching the news for another few seconds, I learned what had happened - that two commercial jets had struck each of the World Trade Center towers. I had to get ready for work, so I managed to walk away from the TV and back into my bedroom. My clock radio was playing, and the morning show DJ's were still talking about silly, "morning show" things. They weren't even aware of what was happening yet. I continued to walk back and forth between my bedroom and the living room to keep updated on reports. It was very difficult to get ready for work that morning. As I was gathering my car keys, another report was coming in saying that there had been an explosion at the Pentagon. At that moment I got the first feeling that more attacks could happen throughout the day, and started wondering "what's next?" At the time, I worked at a video production company which was only minutes away from my home. When I walked in the door, several people were glued to one of the many TV monitors we had in the building. Most of us were just watching in silence as the towers burned. A co-worker of mine came in and asked "What's everyone watching?" We were stunned that he hadn't heard about this yet. He and I worked in the same department, so we went upstairs together and sat in a conference room to watch the TV in there. I had a phone meeting with a client that morning, so I left the room to go to my desk to get the phone number. During the time I was gone, the first tower fell. When I came back into the room, my co-worker said "It's gone. It just collapsed." I looked at the screen and saw only one building where there was once two. I couldn't believe it. I called my client, and she hadn't been able to get much news, so I filled her in. She asked me to call her back in a few minutes. I hung up and then stepped out of the room again, but I had not gotten three steps out the door when my co-worker yelled "Oh my God! The second one is going down!" I ran back into the room just in time to watch the second tower collapse. I stood there in shock with my hands over my mouth saying "All the people, what about all of those people?" I remember having what now seem like ridiculous thoughts like "I hope everyone got out okay" and "Surely, they were able to evacuate the buildings in time." The thought that so many people were trapped with no hope of getting out was just too much to bear. As the day went on, and the reality of what happened finally settled in. The plane crashing into the Pentagon, the plane crashing in Pennsylvania, and the Twin Towers in New York collapsing - it was all overwhelming. I just kept thinking about the people on those planes and what they must have gone through. The people in the offices in the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, just going about their regular routines when suddenly all hell broke lose. And later, when we all found out about the firefighters, police and Port Authority officers and the sacrifices they made to save others, my heart broke. I thought about all the families and what pain they must have been going through during those hours of uncertainty on that day. I didn't get home until late that evening, but I called my parents on my cell phone. My father answered and I asked him to put my mother on the phone so I could talk to them both at the same time. I told them that my thoughts all day long were about all of the people who died. I realized that these people woke up that morning just like I did, got ready for work, just like I did, and either went to their office or boarded a plane, never knowing that it would be the last day of their life. I told my parents that I hoped that each one of those people had had the opportunity to tell thier families that they loved them at least once before they went to work or got on that plane, and then I made a point to tell my parents that I loved them, because what happened that day was proof that your life can change in an instant, and that every day we have on this earth is a blessing and should never be taken for granted. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. As I write this, it's the 2-year anniversary of that day and a lot has changed. I'm more politcally aware and opinionated than I've ever been. I pay more attention to what is happening around the world. I realize now that we aren't as safe as we once thought we were, and that a lot about our "system" has to change if we want to prevent another event like Sept. 11 from happening. I think 3,016 innocent lives lost in a single day should be enough to make people realize that we can't just curl up in a ball and hope that this will all go away if we just leave everyone alone. We need to understand that the terrorists cannot be negotiated with or appeased. They have to be stopped, and it will take time, money and sacrifices on everyone's part. But if that's what it takes to stop terrorists from ever unleashing their fanatic hatred against us or anyone else in the future, than I'm willing to make those sacrifices. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? We should remember that the day started off like any other, and that it ended like no other. We should remember the people who lost their lives that day, and also their families and loved ones who have to carry on without them. We should remember that for a while, however brief, this country banded together and that there were no Republicans or Democrats, conservatives or librals - there were just Americans. I have never been more proud to call myself an American than I was on Sept. 12, 2001. 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 live in an apartment, so I couldn't fly a flag, but I bought a small American flag sticker to put on the back window of my car, and it's been there ever since. I've always felt very strongly about the American flag and what it stands for, so those feelings were only reinforced after Sept. 11. To me, the flag is more than just a piece of cloth. It symbolizes everything that is right about this nation, and it represents the ideas and values that we strive to achieve. It doens't symbolize the "government," it sybolizes the nation and its citizens and the strength of both. 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 nmah6094.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. 65.69.188.73 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 at the gym and I was in a class and when I came out everyone was gathered around the televisions. I pushed my way to the front just in time to witness the second plane hit the second tower on live television. I remember the whole gym went silent and the people on tv went silent. I continued to watch until I had to go to school. I ran to school and most of the kids were just saying rumors about what happened. In class it was kind of a mess. The teachers were talking, all the televisions were on and all the kids were talking. I of course shared how I felt when I watched the second tower fall to ground and see all those people die. I remember seeing little black dots fly out of the windows and I knew those were people and I prayed that they would grow wings and not die. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. It has made me aware of our government and it showed the truth behind the smile of our president. I think it was a rude awakening for our country, and we have grown from this experience in the best possible ways. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? The people who died and the people who saved lives. No political leaders should be remembered. No one else. Just the heros, the innocent, and the survivors. 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 did and it was stolen from my house and burned in a pile in the middle of my street. But that didn't stop us, we put them on all of our cars and really high up on our house. No one can take away our pride and love for our country and we must show that. 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 nmah6620.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. 2004-09-09 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 209.79.69.225 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. 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? United American Nine eleven, two-thousand one, evil attacks on freedom had begun. Yet, a firefighter fought and stood, a united American, beloved brotherhood. Twin towers inflamed in New York City, the enemy mistook it for a town without pity. Still, a policeman worked ceaselessly, a united American, family fraternity. Out of the blue the Pentagon was hit, like Pearl Harbor none will forget. In place, a soldier held the position had, a united American, committed comrade. Wreckage and lives fell to earth, together, one day, would rise rebirth. Truly, a chaplain tended to those that slipped, a united American, faithful fellowship. Over Pennsylvania a struggle ensued, a revolution formed for liberty to do. Soundly, a patriot called, Lets roll, a united American, wonderfully whole. The skies were cleared of all air traffic, to stop the terror and the havoc. Safely, a controller guided planes in, a united American, kindly kin. Lifting in accord across a great land, one by one, were hearts and hands. Surely, each framed the same reflection, a united American, country connection. Jack Overfield Cypress, Texas September 2001 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 wife and I fly the flag every day. Did before and will continue. 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 nmah5229.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. 2002-10-17 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 152.163.189.198 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 can remember that exact morning when the United States was changed forever. I had just turned 13 and I remember waking up that morning and getting ready for school. I was very excited because I was entering the 8th grade and thought that nothing could rain on my parade but that all changed. I had just gotten out of the shower when my mom called me into her room to watch the news with her. She was screaming and yelling to hurry and right when I got in her room I watched the most devastating thing I've ever seen happen. I watched the second plane hit the tower. I can remember seeing all the people running around and seeing people jump out of the building from many stories up. It was so sad. My mom wasnt going to let me go to school that day. She was scared that we would be attacked by terrorists and so was I. But I went to scholl and i remember everyone talking about what had happened. For the rest of that week my family sat down and had dinner togeher everynight and prayed for all those who had lost family members and had been hurt by the tragic event. Then I remember one night everyone in my neighborhood went outside and lit candels. It was very sad. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. I cant say that my life has dramaticly changed but it has changed a little. I think differently about things now because you never know when something like that can happen. So i try to live my life to its fullest and not regret anything. It has also made me more aware of what is going on in the world. I have followed this war with Iraq pretty well and always talk about it with my parents. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? I think that all the men and women that help[ed to clean up the debre and find missing peoples should be remembered. And all the people that sacrificed their life to save others that were trapped in the building. They are the real heros. 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, and for months after, my family had an AMerican flag up outside our house. My feelings towards the American flag have changed. Before I just felt as though it was just the flag that our country has and that it just symbolizes that we have 50 states and 13 colonies but know i feel as thogh it symbolisms the United States of America. The strongest power in the world. It symbolizes all the americans and how we all pulled together to get through this horrible happening. 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 nmah6752.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. 2004-09-12 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 66.74.184.123 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 at my house on the couch, watching the coverage on TV from the local news. Horrifying images of a plane smashing into a building played over and over again. It was almost inhuman to play the same scene over so many times. The drama of it all was overwhelming, and the shock that came with it… unbearable. I was not aware of the casualties until the next couple of days past. I could see the pain in many of eyes of the people that had family members and friends trapped in the buildings. There faces were put up on the TV screen many times. I felt sorry for those people. I felt sorry for the people that had that much anger towards the U.S. that they had to kill so many people NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. No NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? We should remember that people can be ignorant, and that we need to teach everyone around us tolerance and how to have open minds. We should remember that there are other people in this world besides rich wealthy Americans, and that these people are just as human as us. We need to teach by example and heal through compassion. 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 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 nmah3050.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. 169.197.51.12 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 standing on the corner of Gold and Fulton Street waiting for the light to change and though the street is one way going the opposite direction the need to look both ways caused me to turn my head at the eact moment of impact of the first plane. I wailed into the sky as people all around me stared at me then follwed my gaze up to the Towers as the floors blew out from one side to the other. I stood ther and screamed "Those poor people those poor people" I was sure it was a bomb. I decided to run home and get my camera and go over there. This is my home and though I always make sure I head in the opposite direction of a disasater in NYC, that day I changed my own rule. On the way I heard a young man tell a friend "I saw a plane fly into the building" and I grabbed him and pushed him toward a cop taking eyewitness accounts and said GO TELL THEM WHAT YOU SAW!!!!!. Secretly I was relieved, just a tragedy not a bomb Thinking it a tragic accident , I ran home to the corner of John and Nassau St. seeing neighbors and people standing around talking crowds began to gather. I rushed into my place and ran the 2 2short blocks to the corner of Dey and CHurch. Standing there infront of the Millineum Hotel I started to shoot some pictures with the debris raining down when people started to jump from the windows and I could not take the shots. I got one or two but it was before I realised what was happening. WHile we were all packed onto the streets under Tower One, I heard an unmistakeable crack and looked up to see the second Tower explode over my head and the building exploding above us all. People started to scream "it's a war- we're under attack" and I took a girls arm and pulled her with me as Iducked into a doorway of the Kallikow Building with the huge pillars which protected us. People squashed into the space and remember looking down into this young Asian American womans face as she cried to me "what have we done? WHAT HAVE WE DONE?" As the largest pieces stopped falling people started to run and so did I, back to my home. When I got inside the phone was ringing and people I never had a call from before were ringing me up. I was petrified. Just me and my two dogs standing in the Living room looking out my 8 foot windows down on the street when the world went black. Unbelievably black and angry swirls of minute matter swirling in tiny pinwheels against the windows, pushing and scratching the glass and walls. the first time was horrifying the second time I thought I was going to die and raan into a closet with my dog and hid till the rumbling stopped. Later that day I was evacuated by the National Guard and forced to walk through the streets and breathe the ashes of death with my dogs a few belongings. Miles we walked, misdirected to unfunctioning subways, down the stairs throwing out my hip. Constantly looking back to the smoke and ash flying thorugh the sky on the wind NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. I will never be the same. I threw everything out of my apartment and replaced it. I have worn only black for over a year now. Everything changed, mostly because as a seperated working mother, alone for many years mentally but separated for barely 2 years, I met an ironworker in the subway a week afterthe attack who has become my dearest friend and protector. We are engaged and plan to marry when my divorce is final and we buy our own home. We would never have met if it hadn't have been for this and I think I might have gone mad without his love and care. Everyday for 5 months, I woke up with him at 5 a.m., and went to breakfast before he headed back to the "Pit". A kiss at the check point as I waved goodbye wondering if he would be coming out again. Miraculously, he stayed on with very little damage done to him except to his lungs and a tooth cracked when a Man Basket he was in was whipped against a wall. His partner dislocated a shoulder. He is snoring in the next room as I write and we have been together ever since. The story is as good and as bad as it gets. We held each other up then and now. We share something no one else understands. He watched from the other end of Nassau St on the roof of a building he was renovating. We had been existing 4 blocks from each other for many months but never met till I saw him covered in dust in his hardhat ,falling out of his seat from exhaustion. I went over and sat next to him and held his hand to say thanks and give him some kindness. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? The courage of the those who came to help How hard the people worked to save who could be saved. clean up and clear away the debris. Sacrificed their health and lives. The absolute innocence of those who died. The waste of human life and their terror. The absolute guilt of those who planned and reveled in it The American disregard for other cultures and lack of freedom The view I will never see again from the "TOP" 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 put decals on my windows, stickers on my work kit and wear a red white and Blue ribbon on my hat. I feel it is a badge I earned to wear to bear witness. I dislike sharing it with thrill seekers and tourist who cam to hawk quietly at first now impudent and rude. The flag has mixed feelings for me the closer to war we get. 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 nmah5283.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. 2002-11-12 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 165.247.25.109 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. Getting up the morning of September 11, was just like any other morning. We have a simple routine to get kids up, dressed, fed, and out the door by 8am. Disney is always on the TV, with little notice from anyone. For some reason, I decided to switch the channel to MSNBC, right before heading out the door. At first glance, I thought I was watching a replay of a movie being made, seeing a plane head into this building with a firefighter looking on. As I started to realize what was going on, I just stood there, stumped, confused," What is going on?" I just kept saying over and over. I called to my husband to come see, just to validate that this was not a movie but something so horrible and so real, and so unbelieveable. Then the second plane hit, right as we are watching the scene unfold. I just had to sit down, my mind was not handeling what my eyes were seeing. I felt sick, and overwhelmed. What is going to happen?, I thought. I looked at my kids, as they were also watching, and decided to continue with our routine as best as I could. The rest of the day was spent watching all the coverage, praying, and thinking about my family. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. Yes it has. I hold my family as the most valuable asset I have in my life. I will never forget how I felt, playing the scenes over and over in my head. I won't travel by air, and may not again. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? Everything! The people that lost their lives, the coming together as a nation, that feeling of being one. This country can overcome! 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, and my flag still waves today. And yes, I feel like I know what it really means 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 nmah117.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. 2002-08-06 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 64.216.44.202 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. I witnessed history in a different way on september 11, 2001. I was in my first period class,(English). We were watching the CNN morning news when the latest came on. "A Boweing (believed to be) 777 just crashed into one of the trade towers in New York city" said the reporter franticly. My teacher was having "a bad morning" and turned it off. We, the class, were eager to see what was happening. But, our teacher would not let us. So, about 45 min. later I went to the next class, reading. In this class my teacher was already watching. When I got in the classroom, my stomach dropped. Another boweing plane crashed into the other tower. We whatched for a while untill... out of the blue, the tower collapsed! We had no clue how deep we were in untill now. At this very moment I knew that every american was felling the same way I was, terrified, outraged, and more furious than anything else. after a While the second tower fell. It was all over. I knew this would be a day i would never forget. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. I always thought that we as americans were safe here in America. This proves that we should allways be on our gaurd. This chaged me much.I know that I am much more carefull in all that I do because of 9/11. My life also changed, because of the fact that my dad lives in New Milford, Connecticut. I fly to see him every Christmas. that christmas, I did not. My parents and i were so afraid for me to fly on a plane that I did not see him untill the summer. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? I think that Every on should remember how carefull we need to be, and that if we hold fast as "One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all" then we can overcome this tragedy. And we will have justice. Because, we as a whole nation, are better than the people who did this. And, as a nation, we can never fall. 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, my family did hang a huge flag in our yard in result to 9/11. my feelings have changed. Used to be that when I would look at the flag i would just see it, now i can feel it! It is a symbol of this great country, and should be looked at like this forever. 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 nmah636.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. 2002-08-30 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 208.191.87.61 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 in social studies (4th period) and half our class had gotten picked up...no body knew what was going on and i can remember my teacher saying "if you dont already know.." and then more students were called to go home. He continued " Two planes hit the world trade centers this morning.."I NEED SAMANTHA TO GO HOME PLEASE," said the intercom. So my mom picked me up crying and tried to explain this all. all i remember was being really confused and i didnt even know what the world trade centers were, except for buildings in ny. my moms voice broke through my daydream of war and i heard he say " 2 terrorist planes are still flying around" i got home still not knowing what was going on and turned on mtv. i didnt see music vidieos that i hoped for but instead enormous buildings with smoke and flames. it was amazing and all i thought was "two planes are still at...its going to be my school...this is really happening to me...this could be it..." NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. It really hasnt except im more scared of war and flying on planes. I see alot more prejiduce but alot more love aswell so i guess it all evens out in ways. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? I think we should remember how good the towers were and how great they were and not how there gone.. Keep your head high and even if you dont see the world trade centers, you'll see everything else which is holds millions of possibllities and new things just waiting to happen in th future. And try to move on and higer and dont look behind becasue the future is what will make us go on. 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 in my room i had a flag. My feelings for flags have changed because i think people over use them, it doesnt matter if you have one or one hundred we are all americans and not in competition to see who has the bigger better flag. Also many people have worn out the flags by letting them fray and tear and fade...I thought those colors didnt run? 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 nmah4247.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. 64.12.96.70 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 first learned what was happening on September 11 when I walked into my 2nd period freshmen history classs.Everyone one was up and around the classroom talking to eachother about what they did last night, you know just the usual morning gossiop.Our teacher was out in the hallway greeting the students as they came in. Someone ran by our room and shouted "the World Trade Center were hit!" Our teacher ran in the room and turned on the t.v. that's when my class got their firt but deffintly not last chance to witness what happened. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. After September 11 I realized how lucky Americans actually are. We have all the freedom in the world and we take so much of it for granted and the things we don't take for granted we abuse. I now try to be more grateful for things that I might have pushed a side before. I'm more respectful to my teachers and I know cherish the time I spend with my friends and family because I realize how quickly they can be taken away from me. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? I think that we should remember not only the victims in the Trade Centers but also the ordinary people who lost their lives to save others. People who were walking by on the street and ran to help. The firemen and police volunteers that came to the rescue when they were needed. They could have very well just stood by and watched the horror but instead they ran inside it to help others. I think they should were the real heros and they should never be forgotten. 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 did fly the American flag after September 11, and I was a little embrassed because it took an horrfic event such as September 11 to make my family put one out. Yes, my feelings toward the flag have changed. I have more proud for it and I respect it more. I now actually say the Pledge instead of just standing and looking at the flag. 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 nmah1668.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 was at home in Charlotte, NC because I had a baby three weeks earlier. My husband and I had gotten up earlier that morning because my oldest son had to get to school by 7:30. I had hoped to take at least a two hour nap, but a little after quarter of nine the baby woke up crying and wanted to be fed. I was giving the baby a bottle when I noticed that it was 9:02 and I was excited because it had been a while since I got to watch Katie and Matt on the Today show. To my horror, on the television were pictures of both towers at the World Trade Center on fire. My husband watched in confusion because no one was saying what was going on. I was kinda funny that the people from the media who always seem to have something to say had nothing to say because, well what could you say. I kept vigil all day by the TV in the hopes that someone would be alive and that TV stayed on all night. I prayed, cried and cursed God. How was I ever going to feel safe again? NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. My life has somehow turned into "since 9/11". I sometimes feel that I have two lives. One before that is naive and after that is hardened. I didn't know anyone personally that died on that day, but I always read and listen to stories about anyone who lost their lives. I suffered severe despression in the year that followed. I feel for the families because if I feel this way how must they feel? As the second anniversary is upon us, I will promise to always remember and pray for those that are lost. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? The firefighters. My brother is a firefighter and I have a huge respect for what they do. I remember a firefighter on the news while everything was going on who was trying to get the media to back away during the collapse of the second tower. After they were given the "all clear" to move back in, the first tower began to fall. The firefighter threw his helmut in anger and looked to the sky and began yelling, "what are you doing? You are not even giving me a chance to get in there." With all that danger, all he wanted to do was help. I was so amazed. 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? We couldn't find a flag to buy, so my son made a flag out of poster board, markers and star stickers. It is now in a closet because the sun was fading it. I still have a small flag sticker on the drivers side window of my car. 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 nmah5661.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. 2003-09-08 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 65.138.43.199 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 cant prove this. We didnt have cameras to capture the moment. We didnt exchange phone numbers to keep in touch. We never even thought it might mean anything to anyone but us. In the end, I guess it doesnt. But its out there somewhere. And that means something to me. On September 12, 2001, I was digging through rubble outside the American Express tower in Manhattan, in the shadow of the huge glass sphere from Windows on the World. Its hard to say if it was day or night, because the smoke and the dust and the halogen lamps were a constant thing. And the smell. God, that smell. Concrete and meat, and stagnant water. It soaked into my gloves, my boots, my uniform. The stink might have been lessened by the paper mask I had hanging around my neck, but it was too hot for that. A few guys kept them on, but most of us were too numb to care. Hell with it, I thought, I dont want to live forever. Not if I have to live in this world. Then we found it. Im tempted to say it was evening, because I remember thinking I was all cried out, and finding I was wrong. Sifting through a pile of debris, one of the workers to my right stopped suddenly. Then he stood up straight, pulling with him the remains of an American flag. Not the one you saw on the news. This was different. This was pure. In a way, Im glad there arent any photos of it, because it was ours. If you werent there that night, you didnt get to share it with us. Theres something to be said for that. The flag was destroyed. I dont mean that it had a hole in it, or that the edges were frayed. It was torn apart. What was left was little more than a few red and white stripes. And one star. He was a big guy, the guy who found it, and he had a big voice to match his frame. It was a real city voice; the voice of a steel worker, the voice of a longshoreman, of a teamster, a laborer, a bricklayer, a carpenter. As he raised the flag, and we all took a corner to hold it up for the rest to see, he shouted, Theres one star left. That star… that star is New York. Thats our star. A cheer went up, and the tears I thought I had spent were there again, digging gullies through the dirt on my face. We hung the flag on a shattered marble wall with red tape, as high as we could reach. For the rest of the night we worked next to it, glancing up every once in a while to see that our star New Yorks star was still there. The days to come were filled with photo-ops of firefighters raising their own flag, and a barrage of hero imagery and calls for war. It really became too much to take. Part of me wanted to be back there, surrounded by people who were more than just talking heads and well-wishers. When I found my way back to that spot a few weeks later, the red tape that had held the flag was still there, but the wall was blank. I sometimes wonder what happened to our star, and I can only hope that one of us who was there that night kept it, and that some day he can unfold it, and tell his version of this story, and show his grandchildren what it really means to be a New Yorker. To the guy who found the flag, if youre reading this: I was the Marine who was standing next to you. And Ive never forgotten it. Your words and your love of your city and your country are part of me and everyone else who remembers that night, when a tiny white star broke through the death and destruction and, for a moment, made us all brothers. 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 nmah5617.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. 2003-08-29 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 64.132.220.21 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 the morning of September 11th, 2001, I was sluggishly going through the trite, everyday motions of an ordinary high school junior. It was in my biology class that day that I began receiving the news that an airplane had just hit one of the Twin Towers full speed in mid-flight. My first reaction towards this news was one of doubt: "How could a catastrophe such as this ever happen?" My practical nature compelled me to dismiss the event of the attack as simple and fruitless gossip. I had my mind set that whoever made up the rumour definitely needed some counseling. However, it was in the afternoon during lunch in the school cafeteria that I learned or realized that a plane did crash into one of the Twin Towers. While eating my lunch, the principal and acting president of our school made the announcement over the loudspeaker about the terrible disasters of that morning: the attack on the Twin Towers, the attack on the Pentagon and possibly more impending attacks somewhere else. The principal called the entire school to join him in a moment of prayer and silence. Upon reflecting now on that day, I realize the confidence that I myself had about the security of our own nation, the security of my home and safety of my life. From September 11th onward, I have taken a higher regard for my life and the companionship of others. 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 nmah4250.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. 152.163.188.65 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 lived in a town about 45 minutes away from NYC by trsin. It was one of the small towns in the area made up of many people who had come there to raise their children outside the city. I don't know exact nubers but i would say well over half the town commuted, and in my high school the percentage of partents who commuted was between eighty to ninty percent. I was a senior in gym class when the second tower collapsed. We were outside on the track and heard the story as a maintenance van with the radio on drove by. The school was trying to wait as long as possible to tell everyone what was happening, they wanted to have more reassuring information to give the students. But after we heard, they made the announcment to the whole school. Everyone was shocked. My friends were all calling their parents trying to get a hold of them. It was like being in another world. What made it worse was the fact that my high school started with eight grade. The younger kids didn't understand what had happened. They were making jokes about it and laughing. It wasn't until some saw older siblings hysterical in the hall ways as they tried to get through to family on a cell phone that any of them realized how serios it was. It was very hard to sit and try to stay calm because we were seniors and expected to set an example for the younger students, when we were so frightened and confused ourselves. Technically there was still classes that day, but many students didn't go, they simply couldn't function. It was hard to, watching and knowing that it was our friends/families in the city, but being unable to help. If we had lived in the city, we could have gone to stand on line to give blood, instead all we could do was sit by and watch in those forst hours. Even if it had only been a token act of help that was turned away due to the huge out pouring of aid, we all desperatly wanted that chance. In the days that followed we showed our support by raising money, collecting supplies and flying the flag. We were very fortunate, there were few losses from the families in our town. But the ones that were there were tragic. I remember a sidewalk sale a few weeks later. It was an outdoor festival with vendors and a dj. While I was there a saw a mother walking with three or four children. None of them were over the age of eight. The youngest was an infant. On their backs, their mother had pinned a sign. As close as I can remember it said "Please pray for our daddy. He is amoung the missing at the world trade center. God Bless America". Another family I knew lost their father in the world trade center, he was a firefighter there. I saw sights like this for the next several months. Today is September 11 2002 but it doesn't feel like a year has passed. I suppose it is because I saw so much relating to the WTC in the past 11 months, that I never had time to forget even a little. I left for college a week ago, and up to that point I still saw flags outside houses, in car windows, and signs saying God Bless the USA. It was a day that turned into a whole year, one that I will never forget. NMAH Story: Life Changed Has your life changed because of September 11, 2001? If so, tell us how. My life has changed in many ways. I feel compelled to watch the news more often, just to make sure nothing horrible has happened. At the same time I often don't watch because there is so much bad news. When NY lowered the flags to half mast for a governer who passed away I noticed as I was walking to work. The first thing I did when I got there was find out why. The association with the flag and September 11 was so present that I couldn't think of any other reason for the flag to be lowered. NMAH Story: Remembered What do you think should be remembered about September 11th? I think that everything should be remembered about September 11. It was a tragic day, and every story of every victim and every hero deserves to be remembered. And I feel that almost EVERY American falls into one of these two catagories. We all promised "never to forget" and I think that we should stay true to this. 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 family flew a flag after September 11. Before that day the flag was just a symbol of the fourth of July, "of freedom and equality" as I had been told in school. I didn't understand what that really ment until September 11. Now I see a flag and think of all the good things about our country that it represents, and all the people who have died to protect that flag. 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 nmah4188.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. 130.245.212.191