.png)
September 11, 2001, was a tragic day in American history. On that day, nearly 3,000 innocent lives were lost due to the terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C. as well as in rural Pennsylvania, where another plane en route for more destruction crash-landed.
The indelible images of the World Trade Center collapsing in flames with crowds running for safety, as well as the ensuing visions of heroes and citizens working together, have created a lasting impression.
While buildings have been repaired and new sites erected in the wake of the attacks, there are many ways to continue to honor the fallen. Patriot Day, which takes place each year on September 11 to honor those who lost their lives in the 9-11 attacks, is one such example. The following are a handful of ways that people can honor 9-11 victims and their families.
• Celebrate local heroes by visiting or making donations of food or supplies to local firehouses and police stations.
• Commemorate the events of 9-11 by observing moments of silence at key times throughout the day: 8:46 a.m, 9:03 a.m., 9:37 a.m., 9:59 a.m., 10:03 a.m., and 10:28 a.m.
• Engage in service projects that can help your community, including its underserved individuals, like veterans. National Day of Service, which is the same day as Patriot Day, asks people to do at least one good deed in honor of those who died on 9-11.
• Make a trip to New York City and visit the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.
• If you display a flag at your home or business, be sure to place it at half staff from sunrise to sunset to mourn the lives lost.
• Share stories of the heroism and bravery of first responders with young children who may not have been alive in 2001.
• Unite the country by promoting acceptance of and kindness to all people, regardless of religious or political beliefs.
• Attend a special service commemorating 9-11 at houses of worship. • Visit memorials honoring the fallen in various communities in and around your home.
This Patriot Day, there are many ways individuals can honor those who lost their lives on 9-11.
Editor's Note: The Patriot Day celebrated on September 11 is a separate holiday from PatriotÕs Day, which is observed on the third Monday in April in Massachusetts.
Patriot Day is an annual observance on Sept. 11 to remember those who were injured or died during the terrorist attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001. Many Americans refer to Patriot Day as 9/11 or Sept. 11.
Is Patriot Day a Public Holiday?
This is not a public holiday. Government and public offices, businesses, and schools are not closed on this day but may hold special events and outreach programs to commemorate the annual observance.
Observe Patriot Day On the direction of the President, the flag of the United States of America should be displayed on the homes of Americans, the White House and all United States government buildings in the whole world. The flag should be flown at half-staff as a mark of respect to those who died Sept. 11, 2001. Many people observe a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m. (Eastern Daylight Time). This marks the time that the first plane flew into the World Trade Center. Some communities, particularly in the areas directly affected by the attacks, hold special church services or prayer meetings. People who personally experienced the events in 2001 or lost loved ones in them, may lay flowers or visit memorials.
Public Life
Patriot Day is not a federal holiday and schools and businesses do not close. Public transit systems run on their regular schedules. Some people and organizations may take some time out to hold prayers for the victims of the attacks, but these do not usually affect public life for more than a few minutes.
About Patriot Day On Sept. 11, 2001, four planes were hijacked. The hijackers then deliberately flew three of the planes into two important buildings, the Pentagon in Washington, DC and the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York. The fourth crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The loss of life and damage that these hijackings caused form the biggest act of terrorism ever on United States soil. Nearly 3000 people died in the attacks and the economic impact was immense.
The attacks have greatly increased attention to national security in the United States. This has had huge implications for United States national and international politics. This is particularly true for the relationships between the United States and Islamic countries in the Middle East.
Symbols
The most potent symbol of the events that happened on Sept. 11, 2001 are pictures and videos of planes flying into buildings, of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center engulfed in smoke and later collapsing and of people falling from buildings. Pictures taken of damaged buildings and relatives looking for loved ones in the days and weeks after the attacks are also often shown. The flag of the United States is often displayed around images of the events on Sept. 11, 2001. This is to remind Americans that their country remained strong in the face of massive terrorist attacks.
Patriot Day should not be confused with Patriot’s Day, also known as Patriots Day, which commemorates the battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775, which were two of the earliest battles in the American Revolutionary War.
