The MEMO Blog

Last week, we welcomed Brett Eagleson (9/11 family member), Ken Williams (former FBI special agent), and Ali Soufan (chairman and CEO, the Soufan Group) for a panel discussion on significant moments in the legal struggle to determine whether the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was directly involved in supporting some of the 9/11 terrorists. 

Caleigh Leiken, a sophomore at Ohio State University, was born in New York on September 11, 2001. Now almost 20 years old, she reflects on the significance of her birthday, the lessons of that fateful day, and the ways that a sense of hope has shaped her life. 

3-D pop artist Charles Fazzino and a roster of iconic New Yorkers were on hand in our atria last week for a special ceremony unveiling "9/11: A Time for Remembrance, Twenty Years Later," which he created specifically for the Museum. The new work celebrates the resilience of the city and its denizens. 

As a long-time partner and supporter of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, the organization HEART 9/11 will commemorate the 20th anniversary of the attacks with a march to honor recovery workers, taking place on September 12, 2021. Proceeds raised from the march will help power the HEART 9/11 mission of responding and rebuilding while helping others in their search for recovery and resiliency.

In the latest installment of our series featuring books that address 9/11 for children, we're highlighting Tom Rogers' Eleven. Ideal for ages 10-12, Eleven tells the story of 9/11 through the lens of an 11-year-old boy as he encounters obstacles and deals with emotions felt by so many of us that day.  

We recognize the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, established four years ago by the United Nations as a forum for the voices of those most affected by terrorism. 

In 2011, the organization Tuesday's Children compiled 100 letters written by family members to the loved ones they lost on 9/11, reflecting on a decade gone by. As the 20th anniversary of the attacks approaches, we spoke with some of the families who contributed "legacy letters" ten years ago, asking about the evolution of their feelings and what they wish the world knew. Today’s blog post — the first in a series —  features Tara Feinberg, who lost her firefighter father Alan Feinberg. 

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum proudly continues its annual National Aviation Week tradition through August 22, offering free admission to current and retired pilots and flight crews. This year we also mark the week with a number of special guests who will pay tribute at the Memorial. 

With the launch of The Never Forget Fund earlier this month came the new, limited edition keepsake Never Forget Ticket. The hand-etched commemorative ticket was made by Pennsylvania's Wendell August Forge, the oldest and largest operational forge in the country. We're sharing a photo essay that goes behind the scenes at the forge for an inside look at the keepsake's design and production. 

Earlier this week, to mark the release of the trailer for the Netflix film “Worth,” the Museum welcomed 9/11 family member Charles Wolf; special master of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Ken Feinberg; administrator of the fund Camille Biros; actor Laura Benanti; Academy Award nominee Michael Keaton; director Sara Colangelo; and writer/producer Max Borenstein for a very special public program. Panelists shared personal recollections and discussed the creative process that went into telling such a complex story with the 20th anniversary of the attacks on the horizon.