About

Voices of 9.11 is a collection of over 500 video testimonies recorded in 2002-2003 in New York City, Shanksville, PA, Washington D.C. and the Pentagon. At a time when language to describe the event was still being formed, the project was explicitly designed to give each individual agency over the story of their own lived experience. Inside a homemade video booth the participant started + stopped their own recording, they could speak for as long or short a time as they wished and in whatever language they felt most comfortable. We never edit or alter the testimonies. Each individual retains ownership of their own recording and the right to use (or not use) it in any way they choose.

Voices of 9.11 was created by Ruth Sergel at here is new york: a democracy of photographs.

The New York City booth was directed by Pamela Griffiths. Documentary photographer, Andrea Star Reese brought the booth to rural Shanksville, PA. Laura Doggett and Vicki Warren directed the booth at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. and later inside the Pentagon.

In 2011, the Voices of 9.11 website including all the testimonies was created to give all the participants access to their testimonies for the 10 year anniversary.

In 2021, the documentary Memory Box; Echoes of 9/11 based on Voices of 9.11 will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film directed by Bjørn Johnson and David Belton will be broadcast on MSNBC/Peacock. The production company Yard44 kindly supported the updating of the website.

The Voices of 9.11 collection is jointly held by the New-York Historical Society and the September 11 Digital Archive which has initiated a long term plan to donate its entire collection to the Library of Congress for permanent preservation.

FAQs

When were the recordings made?
From March 2002 – January 2003

Where were the recordings made?
Voices of 9.11 was created at here is new york: a democracy of photographs. The first location was in a temporary space at ICP (International Center for Photography) on 6th Ave and 42nd Street. The project then moved to the 118 Prince Street gallery. Additional recordings were made at the Staten Island Historical Society. A mobile team traveled to Shanksville, PA. In fall, 2002, the Voices of 9.11 video booth was part of here is new york exhibition at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. The booth was inside the Pentagon for 3 weeks in January 2003.

How many testimonies are in the collection?
Approximately 550

How many hours of recordings?
Approximately 120 hours

What is included in each post?
The date, location and V# of the recording.

What’s a V#?
The V# indicates where and in what order the recordings were made NYC (V0000-V0327), Staten Island (V0400-V0413), Shanksville, PA (V1001-V1010), Washington DC (V2000-V2092), Pentagon (V3000-3133).

When was the website created?
The website was created in 2011 in order to give the participants access to the recording they had made 10 years earlier.

What was the technical set up of the video booth?
Voices of 9.11 was created before digital recordings were . Before youTube and smart phones.

Download V911 Tech Schematic

Can I use the video/transcript for my art/performance/movie?
Voices of 9.11 was designed to give people agency over their own story. Please be in conversation to find out if the individual is comfortable with your intended use of their experience.

For Voices of 9.11 participants

Thank you. We are honored to have your testimony.
If your questions are not answered below, please feel free to contact me.

Where is my testimony?
You can search for your testimony by typing your name in the search box on the Participants page.

Can I get a copy of my testimony?
Yes! We greatly appreciate all who participated in the project. Please contact me to request a digital file of your testimony.

I would like to add a written update to my testimony
Please do! Simply email me the text you would like to have added.

Can I download someone else’s testimony?
No, we only provide the file to the individual who made the recording.

I would like to have my testimony removed from the website.
Please contact me and I will remove your testimony.

 

Any other questions, please do not hesitate to let me know.

Credits

Recordings (2002 – 2003)
Created by Ruth Sergel
NYC Director Pamela Griffiths
Washington DC / Pentagon Laura Doggett, Vicki Warren, Lara McPherson
Shanksville, PA Andrea Star Reese

Booth Design: Tim Main
Technical Design & Support Paul Constantine, David Griffiths, Juan Molinari, Steve Robison, Daniel Valdez.
Additional Support Martha K. Babcock, Maggie Berkvist, Cynthia Dartley, Abigail Feldman, Kerin Ferallo, Karen Jaroneski, Mary Liao, Brenda English Manes, Jay Manis, Christine McAndrews, Stephanie Schenppe, Deborah Schwartz, Nelly Sidotti, Fernanda Malarazzo Suplicy, Nancy Tongue, Aaron Traub, Mary Traub, Amy Wentz, Mandy Yu.
Thank you to Michael Shulan, Mark Lubell, Charles Traub & all at here is new york: a democracy of photographs.

Website (2011)
Ruth Sergel, Magnus Pind Bjerre, Jude Calder, Laura Doggett, Pamela Griffiths, Juan Molinari, Nancy Tongue, Aaron Traub.

Translations Lana Cheung, Sherry Kane, Peter von Salis.
Supporters Anonymous, Martha Ann Babcock, John Barnes, Suzanne Pred Bass, Therese Baxter, Mary Berke, Maggie Berkvist, Lou Blumengarten, Christina Campanella, Roy Campolongo, Nigel Chatters, Sybil Cohen, Theresa Curtin, Suzanne Epstein, Kerin Ferallo, Carol Fleming, Nicole Franklin, Lyn Gale, Brian Garrick, Marsha Gildin, Steven Harkness, Carol J. Howard, Rose Imperaton, Gloria Jacobs, Allison Kestenbaum, Peilin Kuo, Marvin Kupfer, LuLu LoLo, Laura Lomer, Jay Manis, Lynne McQuaker, Carla Meyer, James Miller, Susan Patner, Lewis Rothenberg, Deborah Schwartz, Eva J von Schweinitz, Laura Shapiro, Andi Sosin, Mark Tabashnick, Judith Treesberg, Sheryl Woodruff, Ellen Yaroshefsky, Anna Yusim, Lori Zaumseil.

Special thanks Tricia Clark, Barbara Vyden, Vicki Warren

Website (2021)
Designer Faith Evans at Boxmoor Creative
Black + White photos Laura Doggett, Pamela Griffiths, Jay Manis
The update of the V911 website was generously supported by Yard44, creators of the documentary, Memory Box: Echoes of 9/11.