September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack/Memorials and Services

In New York City, candlelight vigils are held across the city on Wednesday night and Friday night at 7:00 PM. Impromptu memorials are put up at [Washington Square]?, with hundreds of candles and flowers, and [Union Square]?, where people write messages on large rolls of paper taped to the ground amidst candles, including a 6-foot high concrete candle. A mural is spray-painted on a wall in the Lower East Side. In the coming days the memorials continue to grow, especially at Union Square Park, where thousands come to congregate, grieve, and celebrate--the statue George Washington in Union Square overtaken as a shrine for peace, memory and the United States, thousands of candles are added, a metal sculpture of the American flag and 2500 roses planted in the shape of the World Trade Center towers.

Several thousand citizens march in a candlelight procession through the [Adams Morgan]? district, through [Dupont Circle]?, past dozens of embassies and onto the [National Mall]?, where they join additional thousands of their fellow citizens holding vigil over the Pentagon, just across the [Potomac River]?.

The [Stars and Stripes]? appear on front stoops, flagpoles, cars, clothing, and on public buildings across the country.

In England, in a break with the long-standing usual procedures at Buckingham Palace, the Queen ordered the Changing of the Guard to be paused for a two minute silence on September 13th, followed by the playing of the American national anthem. A memorial service was held in St. Paul's cathedral, London, attended by the Queen and politicians on the 14th September. A three minute silence at 11 o'clock was held throughout Europe on the 14th. Rev. Billy Graham led a service at Washington National Cathedral, with George W. Bush, the former presidents other than Reagan, Congressional leaders, other top officials in attendance. George W. Bush spoke, beginning with the memorable phrase We are here in the middle hour of our grief.

A statue in honor of fallen firefighter?s, commissioned in 2000 by the [Firefighters Association of Missouri]?, was in New York City en route to Missouri at the time of the attack. It was since donated to New York City in honor of the hundreds of firefighters who lost their lives in the collapse of the World Trade Center.

Vigils and memorial services continued to be held in the following days. On Sunday the families of the victims of the crash of United Airlines flight 93 gathered at the crash site in Pennsylvania for a private ceremony, then joined in a service attended by governor Tom Ridge and First Lady Laura Bush.

On Thursday, September 20, the New York Philharmonic performed a memorial concert of the Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem in [Avery Fisher Hall]?. The concert was led off by the national anthem, and on the stage was a flag which appeared on stage during all Philharmonic World War II concerts. All proceeds went to disaster relief. At the request of the Philharmonic director, all applause was held, and the audience filed out in silence.

On Friday, September 21, America: A Tribute to Heroes

A two-hour live telethon entitled "", with musical performances and spoken tributes by top American performers, was simultaneously broadcast on nearly every single network. Celebrities such as [Al Pacino]?, [George Clooney]? and [Jack Nicholson]? manned the phones.

On Tuesday, October 2, beginning at 8 PM EDT: Come Together: A Night of John Lennon's Words and Music

A tribute to John Lennon that became a concert of prayer and healing for New York City to benefit the relief efforts, hosted by Kevin Spacey and featuring [Dave Matthews]?, Moby, [Stone Temple Pilots]?, [Nelly Furtado]?, [Shelby Lynne]?, [Alanis Morissette]?, [Cyndi Lauper]?, [The Isley Brothers]?, [Lou Reed]?, [Marc Anthony]?, [Natalie Merchant]?, [Yolanda Adams]?, [Sean Lennon]? and Yoko Ono, was held at [Radio City Music Hall]? and simultaneously broadcast live on the TNT? and WB? networks. It had been scheduled before the attack to be taped September 20 and broadcast on October 9 to promote a non-violent world.

On Thursday, October 4, at 9 PM EDT: ART Benefit for Sept. 11 Fund

Silent auction of photography, mixed media, painting and sculpture to benefit the victims, at View Bar, 232 8th Ave., free (212.929.2243).

Also on October 4

Reverend Brian Jordan, a Franciscan priest, blessed two beams at the crash site which had formed a cross spontaneously, and then had been welded together by ironworkers.

A memorial mass is held before 3 PM EDT in St. Patrick's Cathedral for NYFD captain [Terence Hatton]?, whose wife was Rudy Giuliani's executive assistant, Beth Patrone. She discovered that she was pregnant on September 13th. Giuliani and Pataki were in attendance.

A service is held after 3 PM EDT in Madison Square Garden for the 74 employees of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey who are missing and presumed dead.

On Saturday, October 6, at 6 PM EDT: And the Sun Went Down

Luvchild Theatre Ensemble performs a work in progress based on stories of people directly affected by the events of Sept. 11. All proceeds benefit victims and families, at New York Comedy Club, 241 E. 24th St., $10 plus two drink minimum (212.330.9314).

On Sunday, October 7: AMF National Bowl-a-thon

National effort to raise $3 million for the [Twin Towers Fund]?. In New York City at 3 PM: Chelsea Piers, $200 per lane. [1]

At 11 AM: Blessing of the Animals

Special service dedicated to the World Trade Center search and rescue teams at the Church of the Resurrection, 119 E. 74th St., free (212.879.4320). Service begins at 11; blessing is at 12:30 PM.

On Monday, October 8: New York City Columbus Day Parade

The annual Columbus Day parade is dedicated to victims and rescue and relief workers. The NYPD and FDNY do not march in the parade as they usually do, but send a single fire truck instead, in somber memory.

At 3 p.m. EDT:

Free Brooklyn Philharmonic concert conducted by Robert Spano at the Brooklyn Academy of Music with music from American composers, including [George Gershwin]?, [Leonard Bernstein]?, and [Aaron Copeland]?. The concert is rebroadcast on WNYC at 8 p.m.

On Monday, October 8 and October 15, from 11-8: Haircut for Life

Roberto Novo and his stylists cut hair to benefit WTC victims at the Roberto Novo Salon, 192 8th Ave., $25 minimum (212.929.1652).

On Tuesday, October 9: Benefit for WTC Disaster Fund: Celebration of John Lennon's Birthday

The East Village Antifolk scene play John Lennon's and their own songs to raise money. Performances from [The Voyces]?, [Joie DBG]?, Amos, [Bionic Finger]?, [Laura Fay]?, [Barry Bliss]?, [Tony Hightower]?, [Linda Draper]?, [Pat Cisarano]?, Lach?, [Testosterone Kills]?, [Kenny Davidsen]?, [Jude Kastle]?, [Bree Sharp]?, [Erica Smith]?, [Fenton Lawless]?, [Grey Revell]?, at the Sidewalk Cafe, 94 Ave. A, two-drink minimum (212-473-7373).

On October 17, [Marvel Comics]? and other members of the comic industry release a tribute book, primarily with drawings of firefighters and police officers, with proceeds going to the victims. Other charity books are also in production.

A memorial will be constructed and then set ablaze at the Playa del Fuego event on the October 19-21 weekend [2]

Church services are held across the United States and much of the world. Here is [[one service held that week]].

At noon on November 29, a national memorial service was held at [Westminster Abbey]? in London, attended by relatives of the British dead, and broadcast on UK television and radio.

Memorial efforts

Several reporters for The New York Times, including Metro reporter [Wendell Jameson]?, are writing 150-word entries for each of the World Trade Center victims, which highlight brief anecdotes about their lives. They expect the effort to take about 10 months.

See also
In Memoriam to add a memorial to an individual victim
Personal Experiences to add a general memorial or tribute by describing your experience

September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack - Full Timeline - Background history
In Memoriam - Casualties - Missing Persons - Survivors - Personal experiences
Give Blood - Donations - Assistance - Closings and Cancellations - Memorials and Services
US Governmental Response - Responsibility - Hijackers - World political effects - World economic effects

See also: World Trade Center -- Pentagon -- New York City -- Washington, D.C. -- AA Flight 11 -- UA Flight 75 -- AA Flight 77 -- UA Flight 93 -- U.S. Department of Defense -- terrorism -- domestic terrorism -- Osama bin Laden -- Taliban -- Islamism -- Afghanistan -- collective trauma -- September 11

/Talk

External Links and References

[America Survives]
[Attack on America: The Victims' Voice]

[New York memorials and vigils]

[THE VICTIMS: A Homegrown Memorial Brings Strangers Together]
[Statue to Fallen Firefighters to Make Its Home in New York, New York Times, 9/19/2001]
[THE PENNSYLVANIA CRASH: 44 Victims Are Remembered, and Lauded, New York Times, 9/18/2001]
[NY Times--THE VIGILS: Surrounded by Grief, People Around the World Pause and Turn to Prayer] Information to be incorporated