News

Remembering 9/11

 

On any other Tuesday the yard at Grambling State University would be jam packed, with students preparing for music and fun.  However, this past Tuesday was overwhelmed with silence, as the East Coast Coalition, a student organization comprised of East Coast natives, hosted a campus vigil honoring the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001. 

As they walked from the quad to the yard, singing the National Anthem, students were asked to sign a board, that they filled with emotional memories and shared a moment of silence. 

“The overall message of the rally was to honor victims of the incident as well as convey a message of unity,” said political science major Timothy Hernandez. 

“This day is to honor those people who lost their lives and give thanks because this shows that anything can happen at a moments notice.”

CBS News, as well as other media outlets, reported that on the morning of September 11, 2001 four U.S. aircraft were hijacked and crashed, killing over 3,000 people. Two of those planes were flown into The World Trade Center in New York City, one into the Pentagon and another into a Philadelphia field. 

Following the moment of silence, Jordan Gaither and Jhuston Williams of Lyrical Quest blessed the participants with an original spoken word throughout the program as well as song.  

Those who attended the rally were Miss Grambling Geralka “Gerri” Jackson and Student Government Association President Jonathan Allen, both who gave their condolences. 

With a tragedy such as September 11 left many endearing memories and all east coast natives had a particular memory stitched in their brain.

 “I was in class downtown Manhattan, all I remember clearly is that my desk rattled and the ground shook.” My first initial reaction to the loud noise I heard was that it was a car crash since the impact sound was so loud until the teacher turned on the news,” Timothy Hernandez expressed.

Although from the same area Kimberly Cyrus, junior political science major, story was different.

“I was in the 4th grade at the time, I remember specifically because I was worried about my father since he was working at the building on side of the twin towers,” Junior Kimberly Cyrus said.

A tragedy happening more than 10 years ago shows that individuals worldwide were greatly affected.

 “At the time my aunt was in the navy and husband was in the military she came out just in time but it went 4 or 5 years before we heard from my uncle,” Reginald Mask II (native of Houston, TX.) said.

Closing the program with a benediction, students gained an understanding of the importance of raising issues on the schools campus, whether national, regional or local news Grambling State University make sure it doesn’t go unnoticed.  

“Raising issues on the schools campus is the most important thing,” Hernandez mentioned, “So much goes unrecognized and looked over that shouldn’t.”