Remembering 9/11
Smoke rises from the site of the World Trade Center in New York City, September 11, 2001. (Photo by Paul Morse; National Archives Catalog ID 5997250)
Map of four flights and timeline of events on September 11, 2001. (National Archives Catalog ID 5899988)
President George W. Bush and White House staff at Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, FL, watch news coverage of Flight 175 striking the South Tower of the World Trade Center. (Photo by Eric Draper; National Archives Catalog ID 204326996)
Onboard the aircraft carrier USS Eisenhower, U.S. Navy sailors watch televised news reports, showing the World Trade Center, during the terrorist attacks. (Photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Justin K. Thomas, USN; National Archives Catalog ID 6610647)
A sign states "All Crossings to New York Closed" after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack on New York City. (Photo by Paul Morse; National Archives Catalog ID 205206239)
President George W. Bush visits New York City on September 14, 2001. (Photo by Eric Draper; National Archives Catalog ID 5997294)
President George W. Bush waves to rescue workers while touring the site of the World Trade Center terrorist attack in New York City. (Photo by Eric Draper; National Archives Catalog ID 5997292)
A helmet and flowers sit atop a rack at New York City's Engine Co. 55 firehouse in New York City. (Photo by Eric Draper; National Archives Catalog ID 5997366)
Firefighters try to contain the fire after the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Technical Sgt. Jim Varhegyi; National Archives Catalog ID 6523862)
An aerial view of the Pentagon two days after September 11 shows the impact point where the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the building. (U.S. Air Force Technical Sgt. Cedric H. Rudisill; National Archives Catalog ID 6523869)
Firefighters gather outside the Pentagon hours after American Airlines Fight 77 was piloted by terrorists into the building. (Photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Jim Watson; National Archives Catalog ID 6610676)
As rescue and recovery operations continued, family members gathered at the Pentagon on September 15 to view the area where their loved ones perished. (Photo by U.S. Army Staff Sgt. John Valceanu; National Archives Catalog ID 6519375)
Near Shanksville, PA, a chain-link fence bearing flags, hats, rosaries, and other items served as a temporary memorial honoring the passengers and crew of Flight 93. (National Archives Catalog ID 5616340)
A marker at the temporary memorial, near Shanksville, PA, honors the passengers and crew of Flight 93, hijacked on September 11, 2001. (National Archives Catalog ID 5616321)
The National Archives safeguards many records related to the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, including those of the 9/11 Commission, the 9/11 Federal Aviation Administration records, and the records of the George W. Bush Presidential Library.
Most of us remember where we were and how life changed that day. As an agency with facilities in Washington, DC, New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and California, the immediacy of the events felt that much closer to our homes and workplaces.
Left: Soldiers from the 3rd Infantry render honors as firefighters and rescue workers unfurl an American flag at the Pentagon. (Photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Michael Pendergrass) View in National Archives Catalog
On Exhibit
Children's Letters from the
Featured artifact: Bullhorn used by President Bush at Ground Zero in New York City, September 14, 2001. (George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum)
DocsTeach
- Teaching Activities for all grade levels focused on Rick Rescorla, who helped thousands of people to safety in the World Trade Center on 9/11.
- More primary sources
Blogs and Social Media
First Pitch Showcased in All American Exhibit Demonstrates How Sports Helped Unite Nation After 9/11
The photo of President Bush throwing out the first pitch of the World Series remains a symbol of a step toward a return to normalcy following the attacks, both for New York City and the United States. More
‘In our New York office: A day like no other’
On the anniversary of the attacks, we reprint the firsthand account from staff at the National Archives at New York City. (National Archives News) More
Images from 9/11
9/11 Commission Records at the National Archives
The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, aka the 9/11 Commission, was an independent, bipartisan commission created by Congress to provide a "full and complete accounting" of the 9/11 attacks. The Commission operated from 2003 to 2004 and held hearings, conducted interviews, and issued a final report.
When the 9/11 Commission closed on August 21, 2004, it transferred legal custody of its records (approximately 570 cubic feet of textual records alone) to the National Archives. As part of the Legislative Branch, the Commission’s records are not subject to the Freedom of Information Act.
Due to the collection’s volume and the large percentage of national security classified files, the National Archives staff continues to process these materials.
9/11 Commission Resources Online
- 9/11 Commission records: Introductory page
- 9/11 Commission records FAQs: Answers to frequently asked questions about access to the records.
- 9/11 Commission's website preserved as it appeared on August 21, 2004 (the Commission's closing day). Includes staff monographs, staff biographies and statements, the final report, hearing transcripts and video, lists of witnesses, and press releases.
- 9/11 Commission Memoranda for the Record (MFRs): Commission staff conducted and summarized more than 1,200 interviews.
9/11 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Records
Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) compiled records to support internal and external investigations of the events. This collection consists of 126 cubic feet of textual, audio, and electronic files.
- 9/11 FAA Records web page and FAQs
- Finding aid to 9/11 FAA records
- 9/11 FAA Open Files
- 9/11 FAA Glossary and Vocabulary
- 9/11 FAA File Inventory and Corrected File Names
At the Presidential Libraries
- September 11, 2001, Terrorist Attacks
- Video: Address to Nation on Terrorist Attacks, 9/11/2001
- Video: Remarks from Emma E. Booker Elementary School, 9/11/2001
- Video: Remarks at Barksdale Air Force Base, LA, 9/11/2001
- Video: President Bush Visits Ground Zero, remarks to First Responders, 9/14/2001
- President George Signs the Patriot Act, 10/26/2001
- Archived website from the George W. Bush White House: Remembering 9/11
- President Obama Speaks at 9/11 Museum Dedication, 5/14/2014
- Proclamation—Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance, 9/9/2011
- Vice President Joe Biden on Remembering 9/11: "We are a Nation about Possibilities"
- Presidential Address: Death of Osama Bin Laden, 5/2/2011
- What the World Learned on September 11, 2001
- Continuation of National Emergency Re: Persons who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or Support Terrorism
- Presidential Proclamation on National Days of Prayer and Remembrance, 2019
Building the World Trade Center
"Constructing the World Trade Center" - VISION USA, No. 06, 1972 (National Archives Identifier 58975)
World Trade Center Photographs from the DOCUMERICA Project
