Due diligence done, couldn't find this posted previously.
From 2012, but still applicable today.
"the families of the victims are a key component in 9/11 remembrance and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future. They are involved in every aspect, from the planning of museum exhibits to the organization of memorial events. Many of the television specials that aired on the 10th anniversary were centered on the stories of family members and survivors. But at some point our collective memory will evolve away from the personal. The events of 9/11 will eventually take their place within early 21st century history and be connected to the complex chains of what came before and after.
We can see this in the evolution of our own collective memory of the American Civil War. For the first few decades, remembrances involved the veterans on both sides of the divide. These men, both the living and the recently deceased, served as a direct link to the past, and remembrance ceremonies were overwhelmingly focused on their heroism and sacrifice. Reunions with former comrades and even with former enemies ensured that the war would be framed around shared personal experiences."
“And some things that should not have been forgotten were lost. History became legend. Legend became myth."
From 2012, but still applicable today.
"the families of the victims are a key component in 9/11 remembrance and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future. They are involved in every aspect, from the planning of museum exhibits to the organization of memorial events. Many of the television specials that aired on the 10th anniversary were centered on the stories of family members and survivors. But at some point our collective memory will evolve away from the personal. The events of 9/11 will eventually take their place within early 21st century history and be connected to the complex chains of what came before and after.
We can see this in the evolution of our own collective memory of the American Civil War. For the first few decades, remembrances involved the veterans on both sides of the divide. These men, both the living and the recently deceased, served as a direct link to the past, and remembrance ceremonies were overwhelmingly focused on their heroism and sacrifice. Reunions with former comrades and even with former enemies ensured that the war would be framed around shared personal experiences."
What the Civil War Can Teach Us About 9/11 Remembrance
Over time, our memory of national catastrophes becomes less personal and more nuanced.
www.theatlantic.com
“And some things that should not have been forgotten were lost. History became legend. Legend became myth."