Flags fly at half-mast in front of the UC Monday. The governor of Tennessee ordered flags on state buildings to be at half-mast in honor of Patriot’s Day.
The Memphis chapter of Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) honored the 16th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks with a remembrance ceremony Monday morning.
The memorial took place in front of the University Center from 8 to 9 a.m. and consisted of a color presentation by the Memphis ROTC Color Guard, a bagpipe rendition of Amazing Grace, speeches by Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell and Sen. Dolores Gresham (R-TN) and a performance of the National Anthem by YAF member Sejal Purohit.
The ceremony also included 2,977 American flags, which represented the lives lost during the terrorist attacks. The Student Leadership and Involvement staff and campus leaders President M. David Rudd, Vice President for Student Affairs Darrell Ray and Dean of Students Justin Lawhead were in attendance, along with over 100 students.
Jake Kolar, YAF’s chairman and founder of the Memphis chapter, said he hopes attendees of the event remember what happened 16 years ago and the impact it has had on the country and world.
“September 11th cannot be just another day that goes by without honoring heroism,†Kolar said. “We must remember the past in order to fulfill the right of liberty we have been endowed with.â€
Other places in Memphis hosted memorial events, like the Fire Museum, which has a permanent exhibit that honors first responders who died during 9/ll. The Recognition Ceremony at the museum began at 8:45 a.m. with a march and ended with a service.
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