Gen Zs recall first learning of 'deeply harrowing, terrifying' 9/11
As the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks passes, members of Generation Z reflect on how they first learned about the tragedy. Unlike older generations, their memories are shaped by parental accounts and educational materials rather than the live events.
Why it matters
This provides insight into how historical trauma is transmitted to younger generations and how collective memory evolves over time.
Image source, Getty Images By Grace Eliza Goodwin Published 24 minutes ago Most Americans remember exactly what they were doing and how they felt the day terrorists hijacked four airplanes and crashed them into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a field in Pennsylvania.
But now, 25 years on from the 11 September 2001 attacks , there is a new generation, too young to remember the day that permanently altered much of American life.
Members of Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012, were told - well after the fact - about the event that undoubtedly reshaped their futures.
They carry distinct memories not from the day itself, but from the moment years later that they learned about the attacks.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, An adult and child laying flowers at the 9/11 Memorial on the 25th anniversary of the attacks
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