- Rhee, Sonya, and Amanda Mummery. Interview with Amanda Mummery, New York, New York. 2001. Audio. https://www.loc.gov/item/afc911000105/.
- Rhee, Sonya, and Nkechi Okoro. Interview with Nkechi Okoro, New York, New York. 2001. Audio. https://www.loc.gov/item/afc911000107/.
These interviews introduce students to the genre of audio sources and provide a vehicle for students to practice critical listening skills and analysis of an audio text. Students also receive valuable first-hand accounts of the historical events of September 11, 2001 and the impacts that the terrorist attacks had on two individuals living in New York City.
- Interview 1: Amanda Mummery, a fifth-grader, was told about the September 11 attacks while attending a school assembly. She recalls being afraid. She talks about the school day and watching the news on television when she went home. Amanda believes that things are improving and people have to move on, however, she is having a tough time doing that.
- Interview 2: Nkechi Okoro heard the first plane hit the World Trade Center but thought it was a train derailment. She was on the phone trying to contact a friend in the World Trade Center annex when the second plane hit the south tower. She describes how she made her way out of the building and across the Brooklyn Bridge. She also discusses how the attacks have changed her life and how she does not go anywhere without her bible.
These interviews were conducted in the months following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. At this time, Americans were still learning to cope with the tragedy and adjusting to a new sense of normalcy. Many Americans had deep fears and anxieties about their futures. These interviews give listeners insights about how Americans were feeling in the months following the attacks as well as provide first-hand accounts of the events of September 11.
- How did the events of September 11 impact the lives of Americans?
- How do different people view the same event?
- What makes someone a credible source?
- How do choices in recounting an event impact the story told?
Alabama State Standards
ELA21.9.6: Compare and/or contrast the perspectives in a variety of fiction, nonfiction, informational, digital, and multimodal texts produced from diverse historical, cultural, and global points of view, not limited to the grade-level literary focus.
- Students compare and contrast the interviews of Amanda and Nkechi, two people living in New York City on September 11, 2001.
ELA21.9.8: Through active listening, evaluate tone, organization, content, and non-verbal cues to determine the purpose and credibility of a speaker.
- Students establish the tone of the speakers in both interviews and compare their tones. Students also look at the way each speaker chooses to organize their telling of events (chronologically) and analyze the effectiveness of this organizational choice.
ELA21.9.13: Interpret a digital audio source to determine its subject, occasion, audience, purpose, tone, and credibility.
- Students discuss the credibility of both interviewees, establish the subject of their stories, and determine their purpose and effectiveness in achieving that purpose.
ELA21.9.23: Use audio sources to obtain useful and credible information to answer a question, solve a problem, or defend a position.
- Students learn about important events of September 11 from a first-person account
After giving students context for the two pieces, have them listen to the two interviews and take notes as they hear each story.
Suggested Questions for Interview 1 (Amanda):
- Is Amanda a credible source? Why or why not?
- What was life like for Amanda in the weeks after the attack? Cite evidence from the recording to support your inferences.
- Describe Amanda’s tone as she tells her story of the events of 9/11. Why might she use this tone?
- What is Amanda’s purpose in telling her story? Does she successfully achieve her purpose?
- How does Amanda organize her story? Is it an effective manner of communicating the events of the day?
Suggested Questions for Interview 2 (Nkechi)
- Is Nkechi a credible source? Why or why not?
- What was life like for Nkechi in the weeks after the attack? Cite evidence from the recording to support your inferences.
- Describe Nkechi’s tone as she tells her story of the events of 9/11. Why might she use this tone?
- What is Nkechi’s purpose in telling her story? Does she successfully achieve her purpose?
- How does Nkechi organize her story? Is it an effective manner of communicating the events of the day?
Suggested Questions for both texts:
- How does the difference in the age of the interviewees impact the way they tell their stories?
- At the end of her interview Amanda says, “We can’t let [the attacks] ruin our lives.” What do you think she means? How does her comment connect to Nkechi's admission that she “doesn’t take the subway anymore”?
- Do the speakers have the same tone in recounting their experiences?
- Amanda admits that after the attacks she was “scared to go anywhere,” and Nkechi says that she is “a lot more cautious about things.” Why do you think both speakers share this common fear? What, if anything, does this fear say about the impact of the attacks on the American way of life?
- Some may argue that these texts may upset listeners because they provide first-hand accounts of a tragedy. Amanda’s interview may be particularly controversial because she is only in grade 5 when interviewed and expresses her fear and anxiety related to living in New York on September 11, 2001. Some may argue that the first-hand accounts of the day and the aftermath make the event too personal for younger listeners and may lead to them being uncomfortable or fearful.
Links to resources for approaching those topics
- The Pew Research Center produced an article explaining the historical impact of September 11 on the nation. This article shows why it is important to remember this tragedy. https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2021/09/02/two-decades-later-the-enduring-legacy-of-9-11/
- According to a speech given by President Biden on September 11, 2024, “By a joint resolution approved December 18, 2001 (Public Law 107-89), the Congress has designated September 11 of each year as ‘Patriot Day,’ and by Public Law 111-13, approved April 21, 2009, the Congress has requested the observance of September 11 as an annually recognized ‘National Day of Service and Remembrance.’” https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2024/09/10/patriot-day-and-national-day-of-service-and-remembrance-2024/
- [Interview with Carol Barber, Fort Dodge, Iowa, October 3, 2001]
- Carol is an English teacher in Iowa. Although she previously lived in New York, she was not in New York on the day of the attack so her story is more removed from the tragedy. Her responses are also more polished and less raw than the first-hand accounts: https://www.loc.gov/item/afc911000058/
- [Interview with Allison Treutler, Arlington Heights, Illinois, November 23, 2001]
- Allison, a high school student in Illinois, watched the World Trade Center attacks at school. She discusses other students’ reactions and the impact the attacks had on them. Because she was not in New York on the day of the attack, her accounts are less vivid. https://www.loc.gov/item/afc911000055/
- [Interview with Meghan Eilbeck, Orlando, Florida, September 20, 2001]
- Meghan lives in Orlando, FL, but was born in New York. She talks about her experiences learning about the attacks on September 11. Her story does not include first hand accounts of the attack. https://www.loc.gov/item/afc911000039/
- ReadWriteThink Lesson: “Responding to Tragedy: Then and Now”: Students read and discuss the personal responses of four different poets, focusing on the relationships between language and meaning. They then compose a poem of their own that includes a section addressing their initial responses to the tragedy and their response to it in the present. Finally, they reflect on what they have learned.
- ReadWriteThink Lesson: Patriot Day Activities
- Alan Gratz's book Ground Zero would be an excellent companion text for this primary source.