Skip to content
Let It SpeakAn initiative of CherishFamily
Sample content

Sample page: illustrative voices, not real interviews.

Sample story

September 11, 2001

A place to remember, to listen, and to pass on what happened that day—before the number of people who can speak from firsthand memory grows any smaller.

A September 11 memorial scene at dusk with tribute lights rising above flowers and candles

Learn

Why this matters

This is a sample page for a memorial, museum, or community site that invites visitors to consider the question: Where were you on September 11, 2001?

Over time, the archive grows more precious. The firsthand stories become fewer, but the questions from younger visitors—students who were not yet born—become more important. This page is designed to hold both.

Listen

Hear the people connected to it

A real page here would gather firsthand accounts from survivors, first responders, family members, witnesses, teachers, and students who later came to understand the day through others.

  • Frank DeLuca

    Retired firefighter

    “What I remember most about that morning”

    Sample voice. In a live installation, you'd hear Frank here.

  • Marcus Bennett

    Veteran who served after 9/11

    “Why I enlisted the following year”

    Sample voice. In a live installation, you'd hear Marcus here.

  • Laura Whitfield

    Teacher

    “Trying to explain the day to a classroom of eleven-year-olds”

    Sample voice. In a live installation, you'd hear Laura here.

  • Aisha Rahman

    Community member

    “The neighbors who gathered on our corner”

    Sample voice. In a live installation, you'd hear Aisha here.

  • Carlos Mendez

    First responder

    “A city that held its breath”

    Sample voice. In a live installation, you'd hear Carlos here.

A real Let It Speak page would ideally feature 10 or more voices. The exact number depends on the partner organization and community.

Reflect

What does this mean to you?

“Where were you on September 11, 2001?”
“What do you remember most?”
“What would you want someone born after that day to understand?”

Ask

What would you like to know?

Younger visitors can submit questions for first responders, veterans, teachers, or community members who remember the day.

  • Ask a First Responder
  • Ask a Veteran
  • Ask a Teacher
  • Ask the Community

How visitors take part

  • Ask a question of a historian, the place, or the community.
  • Share a reflection in writing, audio or video.
  • Every contribution is reviewed by the partner organization before it appears.
Bring this to your place

Continue the story

This page keeps growing. Return to hear new voices, read answered questions, and discover reflections from other visitors.

Teachers can use this page before a visit, ask students to listen while at the memorial, and return to class to reflect and ask questions.