In the Shadows of the Twin Towers | A yearlong commemoration marking the 25th anniversary of 9/11

Few events in the Greater New York region have left as large a historical imprint as the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers. Its long-term impacts have included significant shifts in U.S. foreign policy, national security measures, immigration law, and border policing. That day also left a legacy of misunderstandings of and discrimination against groups of Americans falsely associated with the attacks: Jewish Americans, Muslim Americans, Sikh Americans, and racial/ethnic groups thought to “look Middle Eastern.” Finally, September 11 lives on in the bodies and memories of the many first responders afflicted by serious health problems caused by both the toxic substances and psychic trauma of that day.

In the Shadow of the Twin Towers is a yearlong commemoration, beginning in September 2026, marking the twenty-fifth anniversary of 9/11. Hosted by the Humanities Institute at Stony Brook, the programming has been developed in collaboration with Dr. Nancy Tomes (Distinguished Professor, History) and Kristen J. Nyitray  (Director, Special Collections and University Archives), with support from the College of Arts and Sciences, the University Libraries, the Division of Undergraduate Education, and the Office of Student Engagement.

9/11 and Long Island

While recognizing September 11 as a moment in American and global history, In the Shadows of the Twin Towers aims to document its special significance for Long Island, including Stony Brook University. Twenty-one Stony Brook University alumni died when the towers fell. Many students, faculty and staff had family and friends in downtown Manhattan that day who never came home. An estimated 25 percent of all first responders came from Long Island. And Stony Brook Medicine created the first center dedicated to addressing the health problems they developed as a result: the WTC Health and Wellness Program founded by Dr. Benjamin Luft.  “We Will Never Forget: A Tour and StoryMap in Commemoration of September 11 at Stony Brook University” was produced in 2025 as part of the university-wide September 11 commemorative events.

Programming

A range of events and activities, including undergraduate courses, public lectures, and student-led research projects, will unfold over the 2026-2027 academic year.  Fall Semester (Immediate Effects) events begin with a public launch on September 9 at HISB and a screening at the Staller Center on September 10 of the documentary 9-11: An American Requiem. The programming continues with a "Pressing Matters" talk by historian Molly Todd on September 14, and a Sir Run Run Shaw lecture by Marita Sturken (New York University, Media, Culture and Communication) on October 14. Spring Semester (Afterlives) will focus on the legacies of 9/11. Dates, locations, and additional information for all events will be posted to the HISB Calendar.  

Partners

We are grateful to the following for their generous support of In the Shadows of the Twin Towers:

Stony Brook University | Office of the Provost
Stony Brook University | College of Arts and Sciences
Stony Brook University | Libraries
Stony Brook University | Division of Undergraduate Education
Staller Center for the Arts