September 11 Project Collection, 2001 - Special Collections Department/Long Island Studies Institute Contact Information: Special Collections Department Axinn Library, Room 032 123 Hofstra University Hempstead, NY 11549 Phone: (516) 463-6411, or 463-6404 Fax: (516) 463-6442 E-mail: [email protected] http://www.hofstra.edu/Libraries/SpecialCollections Compiled by: [J. Boucher] Last updated by: Date Completed: [2003] [V.Aspinwall] [August 27, 2014] September 11 Project Collection, 2001 - . 25.5 c.f. Historical Note / Series Description On September 11, 2001, terrorists attacked the United States by hijacking planes and crashing them into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. A third plane was hijacked but the passengers revolted against the terrorists and the plane crashed in Pennsylvania before it could reach its target. The World Trade Center is 30 miles west of Nassau County. Many Long Island residents worked in the World Trade Center's Twin Towers and the surrounding area known as the Financial District and many New York City firefighters and New York City police officers who rushed to the scene were from Long Island. Long Island residents who worked as fire fighters, police officers, MTA workers and construction workers went back to downtown Manhattan day after day to sift through the rubble. The personal accounts of some of these workers are a unique part of our collection. Individuals, trade unions, government agencies and health care workers from Long Island rushed to the aid of the wounded city. This collection records their actions with documents, photos and personal accounts. In the suburbs, workers took a break from the recovery efforts downtown only to wake up the next day and ride back to the city to continue cleaning up the aftermath. Businesses on Long Island donated money and supplies to the relief effort and to charities that helped the victims' families. The collection holds documentation of the efforts of these rescue and recovery workers and businesses. However, it was not only the rescue and recovery workers who dedicated themselves to helping New York City; elementary school students held fundraisers for the relief funds and sent cards and letters of encouragement to the workers in lower Manhattan— their stories can be found in this collection as well. All over Long Island memorial services were held for those who were lost or died on September 11th. The lists of missing and lost are included in the collection, with the names of Long Island residents highlighted. Religious institutions worked overtime to plan funerals and to provide counseling and community outreach to all of the people who experienced different degrees of sadness, fear and confusion. The community service of religious institutions is documented herein as well. Similarly, parents and teachers helped children to understand what had happened. Methods used by the adults and the words and images of the children of Long Island are included in this collection. The entertainment industry was touched by these events, as is evident in the sports folders included in this collection and the newspaper comic pages in the days, weeks and months after September 11th. The correspondence and published writings included in the September 11th Project collection reflect the thoughts of Long Island residents as they contemplated the terrorist attacks on the United States and the subsequent war on terrorism. Nonprofit organizations like libraries, museums and historical societies attempted to collect and disseminate information. They were instrumental in putting events in context for people who sought and continue to seek a better understanding of how the nation and world changed as a result. In local, regional and national publications, journalists tried to keep up with a world that had been changed in an instant and continued to change. Visual artists, poets and photographers tried to capture the many experiences and emotions that ran through the people of Long Island, New York, and the Nation. The collection includes artifacts such as hardhats, gloves, respirators, boots, a pickax and a hoe used by Long Island residents who worked in the recovery effort on the 11th and in the days and weeks following the attacks. One of the banners that hung at the WTC site to encourage the rescue/recovery workers is emblazoned with the word “TEAMWORK” and a biblical quote. The Hofstra community’s reaction is embodied in the small objects including a candle and paper holder from a candlelight vigil. The Hofstra University Archives’ Long Island Studies Institute September 11th Project collection contains materials that show how the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center affected the people of Long Island. Development of the collection is ongoing and researchers have used the collection since its creation. A part of the Hofstra University web page has provided an overview of the collection. Printouts document the web page in the folder “Hofstra—The September 11th Project." The web page is an indispensable tool for introducing the September 11th Project's attempts to collect and make available details of the human experience of history. This collection is a result of that process. September 11 Project Collection Scope & Content Note The September 11 Project collection, which is composed of material created by Long Island residents, consists mainly of records of September 2001 and the following months. Strong areas of the collection include email documents, photographs and artifacts produced by or related to the events of September 11 and the recovery effort. The collection includes correspondence (traditional letters and email), analog and digital photos, and artifacts. Some items were originally produced for limited distribution such as the flyers, booklets, notices, computer files, audio and video materials. A video of oral history interviews is included as are photographs of September 11th memorials by photographer Robert L. Harrison. Many items from the collection were used in exhibitions in September – November 2002 and in 2006. The exhibition catalogs are included with the collection. Hofstra University Archives Long Island Studies Institute September 11th Project Folder List Box 1 Folder Title 1 Arts Medford High School— Includes 3 digital photo printouts Article about memorial at State Museum in Albany Walt Whitman Birthplace Poetry reading in memory of Sept. 11th David Haussler, sculptor. WTC Remembrance Project NY Post article “Shameful Art Attack” about controversial sculpture “Tumbling Woman” by Eric Fischl. 2 Arts—Dance—Susan Turner Letter from Susan Turner See DVD in separation, Box 14 3 Arts—Music—Ranny Reeve Letter from Dave Green Sheet Music “9/11 Blues” 4 Arts—Theater—What Remains. Asylum Theatre Company. Paul Kassel. 5 Arts—Visual—Comic Book Heroes 6 Arts—Visual—Pura Cruz “And then came the 11th of September/broken guitar #18” photograph 8 ½ x 12” 7 Arts—Visual—Pepsi Freund Untitled— 8 x 11” 8 Art—Visual—Donna Geidel/Botticello Eight 4 x 6” photographs Photo negatives 9 Arts—Visual—Ruth Goldberg “Metro Scene” —8 ¾ x 11” Four photographs of painting and artist—4 x 6” Photo negatives Box 1 Folder Title 10 Arts—Visual—Dave Green Letter from Dave Green “Dirge Blues #3, 9, & 11” -8 ½” x 11” 5 black and white photo 11” x 12 ½” (in separation –See Box 12) 11 Arts— Visual—Stan Kaplan & Muriel Harris Weinstein Witness 9/11—art booklet 12 Arts— Visual— Photos-- Mistretta Galleries – Len Jacobs (17 photos)—See also poster in Oversized Material box Photographs— 5 ½ x 7 ½”photos on 8 ½ x 11” sheets. “Ground Zero 9/15/01,”close-up of fireman with back turned at WTC. “Len Jacobs 10/17/01,” Firemen’s cubbies “Ground Zero 9/15/01, Firemen at WTC” “10/14/01, Firemen lean against truck at firehouse” “’Brothers’ banner” 13 Arts— Visual—Jack Kennedy Letter from artist Justitia: “Fiat justitia et ruant coeli” — collage 8 ½ x 18 ½” 14 Arts— Visual—Quilt by Janet McLaughlin Photograph 4 x 6” Business card 15 Arts— Visual—Kay W. Ray Artist biography “Shattered Dreams” photograph— 4 x 6” Five photographs of painting and artist— 4 x 6” Photo negatives 16 Arts— Visual— SuOakes Graphic Design Inc. Digital artwork Susan Oakes “No Time to Scream” “Untimely Death” “Healing and Rebirth” each 8 ½ x 11” 17 Arts—See also books Even the birds were on fire by Sara Parkel (Filter Press) 3 ¾ x 9” in Weingrow Collection of Avant-garde Art and Literature 12/11 in Weingrow Collection of Avant-garde Art and Literature Box 1 Folder Title 18 Business and corporations Letter explaining attached telegram from Newsday editor to CEO of Newsday 12 September 2001 regarding the newspaper’s coverage of the terrorist attacks. Hilton Huntington card offering assistance to individuals affected by 9/11 Receipts from items donated to WTC volunteers Letter and CDs from Suffolk County Department of Economic Development Program from Breeder’s Cup benefit for relief fund 5 ½ x 8 ½” laminated (1 sheet, folded) Voicestream notice of complimentary minutes “Savings bond” discount coupons and letter from Avenue stores IGA grocery store flyer for donations for victims and volunteers 8 ½ x 5 ½” Long Island Association “a chamber of commerce” pamphlet from 75th anniversary luncheon and color brochure Wall Street Examiner: Prime Investment Report Century 21 postcard Mid Island Dahlia Society Yoswein New York re-opens downtown offices Christmas message from Corva Architects Law firm Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman letter to staff – bonus to boost economy Law firm Rivkin Radler—Press release—support to Red Cross WTC effort 8 ½ x 11” Email from Michael Eisner to Disney employees Olympus corporate email (13 email letters) 19 Businesses & Corporations—Alcott Group E-mails (9) from Pam Bauman to employees 20 Businesses & Corporations—King Kullen Grocery Co. Inc. Letter from Thomas K. Cullen Vice President Government & Industry Relations Completed Survey form (LISI 9/11 Project) Letter from American Red Cross thanking King Kullen for money raised 8 ½ x 11” Certificates to Customers of King Kullen, Bethpage, Thomas Cullen & King Kullen Report from King Kullen accounting department indicating what King Kullen donated for the relief workers at Ground Zero 21 Businesses & Corporations—Kozy Shack Enterprises Inc.