Story perspectives

Dr. Luft launches 9/11 Oral History Project with 500 recordings

9/8/2026

History

Luft Launches OralHistory

Dr. Benjamin Luft launched the 9/11 Oral History Project, collecting 500 recordings.
Ten percent of the recorded participants reported PTSD.
His film “We’re Not Leaving” and documentary “9/11: An American Requiem” screened Sep 10 at Staller Center.
New York City held a Walk of Remembrance retracing Father Mychal Judge’s route.
Archbishop William E. Lori celebrated a 12:10 p.m. Mass on Sep 11 at Baltimore’s Basilica of the Assumption.

Summary

Tunnel to Towers Aid

Tunnel to Towers' “Steel Across America” tour will move a 16,000-pound WTC beam through 21 states, returning Sep 11 2026.
Volunteers in Brillion, Wisconsin placed 2,977 flags at the Forest Junction Fire Department, each honoring a 9/11 victim.
Tunnel to Towers provides mortgage-free homes to Gold Star families and fallen first-responder families with young children.
The foundation also offers full undergraduate and trade-school scholarships to children of those families.

Summary

Editor Coordinates Coverage

The Northern Virginia Daily’s managing editor summoned staff early on September 11 to coordinate attack coverage.
Designers and editors held a brief emotional check before creating graphics and headlines about the attacks.
The FY 2027 draft budget notes $6.7 billion new construction, down from $9.2 billion in 2023.
County leaders aim to keep property taxes lowest in 40 years while funding road and bridge maintenance.

History

Historical Context

The 1993 World Trade Center bombing, occurring on February 26 1993, shattered the North Tower’s underground garage and killed six civilians. Federal investigators, led by FBI Director Louis Freeh, uncovered a $6 million plot financed by extremist Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, prompting heightened security protocols. That attack’s memory fuels today’s 9/11 oral histories, steel-beam tours, and flag-laying tributes, echoing New York City’s ongoing commitment to honor victims. Consequently, federal and state agencies allocate billions—such as the $6.7 billion FY 2027 construction budget—to preserve sites, support families, and prevent future terror.

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Luft Launches OralHistory

Dr. Benjamin Luft launched the 9/11 Oral History Project, collecting 500 recordings.
Ten percent of the recorded participants reported PTSD.
His film “We’re Not Leaving” and documentary “9/11: An American Requiem” screened Sep 10 at Staller Center.
New York City held a Walk of Remembrance retracing Father Mychal Judge’s route.
Archbishop William E. Lori celebrated a 12:10 p.m. Mass on Sep 11 at Baltimore’s Basilica of the Assumption.

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