Solemn Tribute to Victims, First Responders in Birmingham Marks 25 Years Since 9/11

Compiled From Online Reports

Twenty-five years after the Sept. 11 attacks, Birmingham paused Friday morning to remember the nearly 3,000 people killed, honor first responders and reflect on the resilience of our nation that followed the tragedy.

City leaders, police officers, firefighters and community members gathered outside Birmingham City Hall for a remembrance ceremony.

“On the morning of September 11, 2001, in the middle of uncertainty and fear, First Responders showed the world what courage truly looks like,” said Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service Chief Cory Moon.

The ceremony marked a quarter-century since hijacked planes struck the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon outside Washington, while another crashed in Pennsylvania.

“Twenty-five years ago on this very day, in this very moment, our world changed forever. We were blasted with images on our screens that seemed unimaginable,” said Mayor Randall L. Woodfin, as he reflected on that day 25 years later.

Woodfin connected the strength displayed after Sept. 11 to Birmingham’s own history, and the city’s role in the Civil Rights Movement.

“We remember because many of you were there to see it with your own eyes,” Woodfin said. “But we also know how to conquer it because whether it is 1963 or 2001, we are a people who confront pain with courage.

“Today we remember, we grieve but in all things we cling to the infinite power of hope,” Woodfin added.