Many of you remember what happened fourteen years ago today. Where you were when you found out, who you were with. The hours spent watching coverage of skyscrapers collapsing. And you won’t forget any of that anytime soon.
And yet fourteen years ago today, most middle schoolers weren’t even alive. School Library Journal shared this article about how librarians can help inform students about events that took place on September 11, 2001. The piece connects 9/11 with other notches on a timeline: “Every momentous historical event affects real people. After the fact, we struggle not only to capture the historical record, but also to encourage a meaningful and lasting response.”
Today in some ways looks like any other day. People are tweeting and students are learning and writers are writing. Many of us will go see a movie, read a book, play football. Everyone will (we hope) laugh at some point today. But first, we will take time to remember everyone affected by the events of fourteen years ago.