The MEMO Blog

The official blog of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum features stories of commemoration and memorialization, and information on our public programs, special events, and ways to get involved.

Dozens of square tiles that are varying shades of blue are seen up close in Memorial Hall.
Photo by Dan Winters

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Intersections: Marking 50 Years of Hip Hop & the WTC

October 10, 2023

A special public program this week examines the history of hip hop, the evolution of the genre in a post-9/11 world, and New York City — with its ever-changing skyline — influenced the artistic movement that now spans the globe. 

22nd Anniversary Commemoration Highlights

October 4, 2023

Highlights from our 22nd anniversary commemoration, which brought together thousands in New York and around the globe for in-person and digital remembrance of the day that changed our world forever. 

Shelby White & Leon Levy Digital Archives Initiative at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum

September 18, 2023

With a generous grant from the Leon Levy Foundation, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum is  establishing its first-ever institution-wide digital asset management system (DAMS), which will enable the Museum to further organize, preserve, and significantly expand access to its digital collections and institutional archives.

College Senior Born on 9/11 in New York City Discusses Her Decision to Attend Law School

September 6, 2023

Caleigh Leiken, born September 11, 2001 in New York City, reflects on growing up in the wake of the terrorist attacks and coming of age in the pandemic. Today, the Ohio State senior plans to pursue a career in law, a path heavily influenced by the upheavals unique to her generation.

National Aviation Week: Captain David Friel's Flight Journal

August 19, 2023

Fall 2001 saw David Friel completing the final weeks of his aviation career. His impending retirement inspired him to start maintaining a personal journal that detailed his experience as a pilot in the wake of 9/11. That journal is now in our permanent collection. Here, Friel elaborates on his unique perspective.

Anthony Graviano Depicts What Remains After Tragedy

July 25, 2023

Artist Anthony Graviano spent the immediate aftermath of 9/11 visiting Ground Zero and taking inspiration from the colossal remnants of the steel structures. His paintings convey the unusual spirit of unity generated by the attacks. 

Fordham Student Reflects on Museum Intern Experience

July 24, 2023

Recent Fordham graduate Jack Moses reflects on his spring internship with the Government and Community Affairs team at the Memorial & Museum. 

In Pen and Ink, Artist John Coburn Captures Hope and Resilience at Ground Zero

July 20, 2023

Pen and ink artist John Coburn, whose work is featured in the new Towers Rising exhibition, found inspiration in the devastation he witnessed after 9/11, fueling him to transform the pain and chaos into something meaningful. 

Rescue & Recovery: In Their Own Voices With Larry Provost

July 17, 2023

With a nod to the anniversary of the U.S. Army's 1775 founding last month, this installment of "In Their Own Voices" features Army Reservist Larry Provost, who responded to lower Manhattan on 9/11, volunteered for a week, and ultimately joined his unit on a six-month mission to Afghanistan. 

Someone Like You on Their Side

May 15, 2023

As the FDNY's Chief Medical Officer on 9/11, Dr. Kerry Kelly was a first responder who raced to Ground Zero to help however she could. Her school teacher husband Dan, whose ability to remain calm and steady in the face of chaos steered his Staten Island students through that horrific day and its aftermath, is a 9/11 hero in his own right.