History prof: A decade of memories, remembering the 10th anniversary of 9/11
Caroline Janney
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — How the United States remembers and marks the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 2001 terrorist attacks, says a lot about the experiences and events during the past decade, says a Purdue University expert who studies history and memory.
"Memory is constantly being reshaped and crafted, and the way we think about September 11 today is much different than what we thought about it nine or five years ago," says Caroline E. Janney, an associate professor of history who studies American history, memory and memorials. "What's important to remember is that how we remember September 11 today will be influenced by the events of the past 10 years. Memories are filtered, and the way we think about the past shapes the present, and vice versa."
Another aspect to the 10th anniversary is how the younger generation will be included in events.
"We can learn a lot about our understanding when we try to explain September 11 to the younger generation," Janney says. "What also is important to take note of is how did today's 21-year-olds remember the event as 10-year-olds? When I ask my students to describe their first day of school to me, they might be able to tell me what they wore but they remember that from a picture. When I ask them to tell me about what they remember from September 11, they recall vivid details, such as what they wore or what the room was like that they were in."
Janney says people's own experiences of that day will be discussed when the Sept. 11 attacks are brought up in conversations.
"I expect there will be a lot of people sharing their stories about where they were when the towers collapsed," she says. "I'm sure there are many psychological reasons why people commonly connect themselves, but from a historian perspective, I think it makes us feel part of that event and gives us a connection to our nation and world. Recounting that individual memory can help people relay how tragic the event was and perhaps even create a bond between people as they remember that day."
During the first few anniversaries of Sept. 11, the memorials and remembrances focused more on individual survivors and victims, she says. The event was more raw and recent. But, with time, people focus more on understanding and explaining the event. The same happened with remembering other events, such as the Civil War and World Wars I and II.
"But fast forward to 2061, and I think we will see what we saw with the 50th anniversary of the Greatest Generation," she says. "We will see more emphasis on the individual participants and survivors. There will be an effort to venerate and recognize those last survivors before they are gone."
Writer: Amy Patterson Neubert, 765-494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu
Source: Caroline E. Janney, cjanney@purdue.edu. Reporters also can contact Amy Patterson Neubert, at 765-494-9723, to schedule an interview.