September 11, 2001 in History

Our tour through American history ends this year with September 11, 2001--specifically how the nation and the world remembers "that day." We thus focus on the concept of historical memory, in essence the act of remembering or recollection. I've constructed this concept via mathematics:

(t, p, c, c) individual remembrance + collective recollection = historical memory

[t=time, p=place, c=culture, c=context]

Even though the equation cannot account for all historical variables and the multiple contingencies of time and place, when we consider time, place, culture, context along with individual memories and collective recollection then we can begin to understand how and why societies remember events in certain ways. We identified various kinds of evidence for these memories: textual, visual, material, and oral.

This unit began with yours truly describing memories of 9/11--specifically the birth of my first child on that day. Then after reading the e-mail from a survivor who worked in 2WTC, we listened to some of the memories musicians offered as the remembered and/or commemorated 9/11, and we encountered the memories of children and 9/11. Movies also play a significant role in how 9/11 has been recollected, as does various kinds of art and architecture. And since each individual remembers events differently, with historical memory there are always counter memories, or alternative stories or counter narratives--mostly referred to as conspiracy theories. As such conspiracy theories have their own history and can serve as historical evidence to analyze.

Bruce Springsteen's "The Rising" offered musical memories, and the Harvard educated Islamic hip-hop artist Abu Nurah defines jihad through rhymes and rhythms. Country musician Charlie Daniels interprets 9/11 with "This Ain't No Rag, It's a Flag," as does Toby Keith in "Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue, and Alan Jackson's "Where Were You?" Christian singer Derek Webb responded to 9/11 and subsequent events with "My Enemies are Men Like Me," and Jewish reggae artist Matisyahu remembered it through "What I'm Fighting For." Although this is just a small musical sampling of memories among many, it reflects multiple points of view.

Countless movies provides visual dramatizations as well, and United 93 is an interesting film since it used both actors and professional pilots and fight attendants. Here's a helpful list of 9/11 in films, and other segments of popular culture. The list helps us to think further about the reach of historical memory and cultural commemoration.

Various on-line archives continue to document September 11, 2001 and provide countless resources, including images, audio, and art. See the September 11 Archive, the Library of Congress's collection, an archive devoted specifically to TV coverage, an archive that documents what it calls "prior knowledge," and another resource called "9/11 Truth." Other resources include an academic journal titled Journal of 9/11 Studies, as well as tons of books on the subject. Finally, the Journal of American History devoted a 2002 issue to teaching and 9/11, and published those articles as a book. I have also used legal historian Mary Dudziak's edited collection of essays on 9/11 in class.

Counter memories of many events persist, and conspiracy theory has a history all its own. A stock industry rose up, for example, offering alternative readings of the JFK assassination. Books continue to pour off the presses about this subject. The most notable and well-known counter stories about 9/11 come in an on-line documentary titled "Loose Change." Critics contest the film, and the filmmakers are adamant about evidence and interpretation. The theologian David Ray Griffin is probably the most prolific writer on the subject, with a book about his own investigation, a book about the 9/11 Commission Report, a book that addresses his critics, and an "open letter" to politicians and the media.

Two days of class presentation and discussion about this event hardly does justice to the enormity of the topic, but it does provide a way to think about something "familiar" with new eyes and hopefully in an entirely new way.

As I said way back in August, history is not simply just what happened in the past, but "facts" about which many people offer points of view.

How did our brief discussion--and your own perusal of the additional material I've provided--enhance, amend, revise, refine, challenge, and/or confirm your memories and understanding of 9/11?

[Photos: WTC and pictures of the flag. Whisper here.]