In the last 60 years, there have been a number of events that have shaped the United States, such as the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the Oklahoma City bombing and the terrorist attack on the U.S. on Sept. 11, 2001.
In a poll taken of Americans one year after the 9/11 attacks, 97% of Americans could remember where they were or what they were doing that morning, according to Pew Research.
The strong memories of Sept. 11 remained decades later. In a 2021 poll, 93% of Americans over the age of 30 said they could recall what they were doing when the attacks took place. The poll found that younger adults were less likely to recall where they were. The poll showed that 43% of those age 25 in 2021 could recall where they were.
"The 9/11 attacks inflicted a devastating emotional toll on Americans. But as horrible as the events of that day were, a 63% majority of Americans said they couldn’t stop watching news coverage of the attacks," Pew said.
Remains of 2 more 9/11 victims identified 22 years after attacks
The remains of 40% of the people who perished in the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, remain unidentified.
By comparison, Pew found that among those old enough to remember in 1999, about 90% of Americans said they could recall where they were when Kennedy was fatally wounded in 1963. About 87% said they remembered where they were when they found out Princess Diana died.
And about 86% could recall where they were during the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. Among those old enough to remember, 85% could remember where they were during the attack of Pearl Harbor, Pew said. About 67% could remember where they were during the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.
On Monday, commemorations will be held throughout the U.S. in remembrance of Sept. 11, 2001. Many states will have a moment of silence Friday morning and fly flags at half-staff in honor of the nearly 3,000 people who died that day.
