Tributes planned for 20th anniversary of Sept. 11

Several tributes are planned at Pittsburg State University in observance of the 20th anniversary of 9/11, or Sept. 11, 2001 — the day of the four coordinated terrorist attacks by the terrorist group Al-Qaeda against the U.S.  

They are all free and are open to the campus and the community. 

Sept. 1 through Sept. 24: 9/11 "Poster Exhibit"

The "September 11, 2001: The Day That Changed the World" poster exhibit will be displayed on the first floor of Axe Library from Wednesday, Sept. 1, through Friday, Sept. 24. It is free and open to the public. The poster exhibit was developed by the 9/11 Memorial & Museum and has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy Demands Wisdom.  

Sept. 9: “Concert of Remembrance” 

The Southeast Kansas Symphony, directed by Associate Professor Raul Munguia, will perform a 9/11 “Concert of Remembrance” at 7 p.m. on Sept. 9 in the Linda & Lee Scott Performance Hall in the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts, 1711 S. Homer. 

Collaborating will be members of the University Choir, PSU ROTC, PSU Police Department, Pittsburg Ministerial Alliance, Pittsburg Fire Department, Pittsburg Police Department, and Bagpiper Orin Weiss.  

PSU ROTC will present and retire the colors. The Pittsburg Fire Department, under the leadership of Pittsburg Fire Chief Dennis Reilly, who was in New York City the afternoon of the attacks and participated in recovery efforts, will perform a bell ringing.  

The concert will be recorded with a live audience and will be streamed on Sept. 11 on pittstate.tv and the Bicknell Center Facebook page for those who are unable to attend in person. 

Details: 620-235-4536 

Sept. 11: “9/11 Patriot Day Remembrance” 

PSU ROTC will conduct its annual Patriot Day Remembrance at the northwest corner of Carnie Smith Stadium, along Joplin Street.  

They will fire the ROTC cannon four times: at 8:46 a.m., when Flight 11 hit the first World Trade Center towers, at 9:03 a.m. when Flight 175 hit the second tower, at 9:37 a.m. when Flight 77 hit the Pentagon, and at 10:03 a.m. when Flight 93 crashed into a field in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.  

A PSU football game vs. Nebraska-Kearney is planned for 7 p.m., and starting at halftime the cadets will take turns reading each of the 2,977 names of those killed in the attacks and an additional 65 names of those who died from related injuries and lung disease; for each name, cadets will do a pushup.  

The cadets are under the direction of Capt. Erick León, assistant professor of Military Science at PSU, who was a senior in high school in the Bronx when the towers were hit. It prompted him to enlist in the U.S. Army. 

Also during halftime of the game, the PSU Pride of the Plains Marching Band will perform patriotic tunes in honor of the anniversary under the direction of Associate Professor Doug Whitten. Whitten served in the U.S. Army in from 1989-92 in the “Berlin Brigade” and was there when the wall came down. 

Sept. 12: “Sept. 11, 2001: The Day That Changed the World” 

At 2 p.m., PSU Library Services will host a short video, reflective discussion, and time to view the "Sept. 11, 2001: The Day That Changed the World" poster exhibit obtained from the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.  

The tribute will be held in Axe Library, Basement 014, at 1605 S. Joplin St. Details: 620-235-4885