1 00:00:00,578 --> 00:00:05,578 JOHN YANG: With memory of 9/11 fading for some, and images of that day unknown to a 2 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:10,920 younger generation, the Smithsonian Institution is piecing together history object by object. 3 00:00:12,480 --> 00:00:17,480 William Brangham is back with a behind-the-scenes look, part of our arts and culture series, Canvas. 4 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:23,320 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: 5 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:28,000 Tucked away within the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., 6 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:33,920 are some of the most personal and poignant relics from September 11. 7 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:35,600 PETER LIEBHOLD, Curator Emeritus, National Museum of American History: There were people that really 8 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:40,600 wanted to make sure that the loss, the sacrifice, the experience of their loved ones was recorded. 9 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:46,000 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Back in 2002, Congress tasked the museum 10 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:51,000 with preserving the story of 9/11 in artifacts from that day and beyond. 11 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:56,040 PETER LIEBHOLD: Collecting is truly a black art. There's no book on how to 12 00:00:56,080 --> 00:01:01,080 do it. We wanted to collect those icons, those really important pieces that create a signpost. 13 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:08,360 Today, there are deniers of the Holocaust. We hear from Afghanistan that the Taliban is denying that 14 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:14,400 Osama bin Laden was involved in September 11, 15 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:20,200 that having those artifacts that make it undeniable that something happened is so critical. 16 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:25,440 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: There is no special exhibit right now, in part because of the pandemic, 17 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:30,440 but the museum rotates many of its some-300 objects from 9/11 in and out of exhibitions. 18 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:36,840 PETER LIEBHOLD: This is a piece of steel from the World Trade Center. We traveled to the scrap yard, 19 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:43,560 picked out a piece that we really thought looked like the emotion of the place, and collected it. 20 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:51,480 The World Trade Center was assembled like a Tinkertoy set, in little pieces that could 21 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:56,520 be put together. And we could actually figure out whose office this was that -- who it represented. 22 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:04,600 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: In addition to the steel beam, other items from that day 23 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:11,160 are this airphone from Flight 93, where passengers and crew fought the terrorists and downed the 24 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:17,400 plane in rural Pennsylvania, and this I.D. card worn by Navy Commander Patrick Dunn, who'd kissed 25 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:23,920 his pregnant wife goodbye before heading to the Pentagon, where he was killed in the attack. 26 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:30,280 There's the cell phone used by then-New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani as he helped his city respond. 27 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:32,984 RUDY GIULIANI (R), Former Mayor of New York: All right, let's get -- let's go north then. 28 00:02:32,984 --> 00:02:36,560 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: The angry aftermath of 9/11 is reflected as well. 29 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:42,200 This Sikh turban belonged to Balbir Singh Sodhi, who was murdered in a hate crime, 30 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:47,400 mistakenly targeted as a Muslim in the days after the attacks. Other powerful objects 31 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:53,080 came from the donations of loved ones. New York Fire Chief Joseph Pfeifer was one of the initial 32 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:59,000 commanders on scene at the World Trade Center, directing firefighters up into the burning towers. 33 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:02,960 One of those firemen was his brother Kevin. 34 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:06,480 JOSEPH PFEIFER, Author, "Ordinary Heroes": And we stood there and we looked at each other, 35 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:12,840 wondering if each of us was going to be OK. And then I told him to go up, 36 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:21,800 to evacuate and to rescue people in the building. And that was the last time I saw my brother Kevin. 37 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:27,880 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: His brother's body was discovered in the smoldering wreckage days later, 38 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:32,880 along with Kevin's officer's tool, which is an implement used to wedge open doors. 39 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:37,880 JOSEPH PFEIFER: And we knew it was him because on the back of his bunker gear it had his name. 40 00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:44,760 And lying next to him was his officer's tool. And they put him in a stretcher along with this tool 41 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:54,120 and covered him with an American flag, and we carried him out of ground zero. 42 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:58,640 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Joe Pfeifer later donated Kevin's officer's tool to the Smithsonian. 43 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:03,640 JOSEPH PFEIFER: I hope that they come away understanding that they represent what I call 44 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:11,320 ordinary heroes. That day, as my brother was coming up, people were coming down. 45 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:17,600 And he was -- he was telling them, don't stop, keep going, you can get out of here. 46 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:21,520 He stopped to take and redirect people 47 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:26,640 from one stairs to a safer stairs, a faster way out. And I'm sure he used that tool 48 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:32,760 to point. Doing ordinary things at an extraordinary time made a difference. 49 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:36,000 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Twenty year ago, Univision reporter Blanca 50 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:40,720 Rosa Vilchez in her blue suit was out covering the New York mayoral race. 51 00:04:41,280 --> 00:04:45,280 But when the towers fell, millions watched her in real time. 52 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:50,320 After days reporting on the attack, Vilchez put that outfit 53 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:55,320 unwashed into the back of her closet. Years later, she too donated it to the Smithsonian. 54 00:04:56,240 --> 00:05:01,240 BLANCA ROSA VILCHEZ, Univision: What have we learned in these 20 years. This person who 55 00:05:01,280 --> 00:05:06,280 ran with the jacket is alive. How is she doing now? What happened to the country in 20 years? 56 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:14,360 And if that jacket talks to us, the person himself or herself, 57 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:20,960 that question, that jacket doesn't belong to me. It belongs to a museum. 58 00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:23,680 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Her outfit will soon be part of a new 59 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:28,480 larger Latino exhibit examining 9/11's impact on that community. 60 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:30,080 CEDRIC YEH, Curator, National Museum of American History: Individual communities 61 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:35,080 were affected on different levels. And this is our opportunity to be able to tell their story, 62 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:40,400 because it allows us to tell the broader story, especially after 20 years. 63 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:45,400 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: In another area of the museum, photo curator Shannon Perich continues to add to 64 00:05:45,840 --> 00:05:50,840 the over 1,000 photos the Smithsonian has gathered to help document that day and its ripple effects. 65 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:53,360 SHANNON PERICH, Curator, National Museum of American History: This is 66 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:57,280 a body of work by photojournalist Ashley Gilbertson, who created a 67 00:05:57,280 --> 00:06:01,440 who created a series and a book called "Bedrooms of the Fallen." 68 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:06,440 It's an homage to those soldiers who gave their lives in the line of duty in Afghanistan in 69 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:12,440 particular. But it also reminds us of where the war takes place. It takes place at the home front. 70 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:18,560 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: For the past 18 years, the Smithsonian has been building this 71 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:23,520 time-capsule-like collection, including this clock from the Pentagon 72 00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:28,520 frozen in time the moment the plane hit, a reminder for all time. 73 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:33,840 For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm William Brangham. 74 00:06:33,840 --> 00:06:38,480 JOHN YANG: The public can share stories, see photos and artifacts, and watch 75 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:43,480 discussions on the National Museum of American History's Web site, Americanhistory.si.edu.