Each year on the evening of September 11, two thick blue beams of light shoot 4 miles into the sky over New York City. These twin columns, called Tribute in Light, commemorate one of the saddest days in our nation’s history, now known as 9/11.
On the morning of September 11, 2001, terrorists (people who use violence to spread fear) crashed two planes into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. About 30 minutes later, another plane hit the Pentagon, the U.S. military headquarters near Washington, D.C.
A fourth plane, likely headed to the White House or the U.S. Capitol, crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Passengers on that plane fought the terrorists and prevented that attack.
Nearly 3,000 people died as a result of the 9/11 attacks. That includes more than 400 firefighters and other first responders who rushed to help people trapped in the Twin Towers. The Tribute in Light was started in 2002 as a way to remember and honor those who lost their lives that day.