Army veteran Wesley Jackson still recalls the confusion he felt on the morning of September 11, 2001, when co-workers informed him that two planes had struck the World Trade Center. As the gravity of the attacks became clear, Jackson, who was then serving as a peacetime soldier, realized that his life was about to change. “My whole life changed in an instant,” he said.
Today, Jackson serves as an assistant professor of history at Arkansas State University, where he uses his experience to help students grasp the profound impact of 9/11. Alongside other Arkansas educators in history, journalism, and political science, Jackson employs oral histories to teach a generation that was not yet born in 2001 about the attacks’ significance and lasting consequences.
Marking nearly 25 years since the tragedy that claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 people, educators are focusing their efforts on helping students develop critical thinking skills to navigate a world filled with misinformation. Jackson explained that history education is not just about memorizing dates and names. “It’s the skills they’re learning about—critical thinking, decision making, and being good stewards of the future,” he said.
Marie Totten, a visiting assistant professor at the University of Central Arkansas, emphasized the importance of teaching students how to critically evaluate information in an era dominated by social media algorithms. Totten assigns her students to conduct interviews with family members or trusted individuals about their memories of 9/11. This exercise not only helps students engage with personal histories but also dispels conspiracy theories they may encounter online. “They’re a very curious generation,” Totten said. “They just don’t know who to ask or what questions to ask.”
The value of firsthand accounts resonates with students like Aneyda Reynaga, a journalism student at NorthWest Arkansas Community College (NWACC) in Bentonville. Reynaga, born three years after the attacks, learned about 9/11 through school documentaries but recently gained a deeper understanding through a class assignment that involved interviewing her father and aunt. Describing their return to daily life after the attacks, Reynaga noted how far-reaching the uncertainty was, even in Arkansas. “It made me see the uncertainty of it all because Arkansas is so far from New York, and the fact that people felt scared or uncertain... really gave me a new perspective on everything,” she said.
Debbie Miller, an NWACC journalism instructor, integrates similar oral history assignments into her curriculum. The assignments not only prompt students to think critically but also encourage them to build stronger, in-person connections with their family members. Miller sees this as an opportunity to instill curiosity and reflection. “I want to encourage curiosity in a safe space and encourage them to make more connections with their family members that they haven’t really thought about,” Miller said.
At John Brown University, political science professor Daniel Bennett assigns students an oral history from Politico Magazine, recounting the eight hours President George W. Bush spent aboard Air Force One following the attacks. Bennett said the technological differences of the era, such as the absence of smartphones or social media, continue to surprise students. He uses these conversations to explore broader issues, such as the tension between civil liberties and national security and the political unity that briefly emerged in the aftermath of 9/11. “We’ll also raise it in the context of how this affected future conversations about civil liberties,” Bennett said.
Reflecting on 9/11 in history curriculums, Bennett likened it to other historic moments, such as the attack on Pearl Harbor or President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, which have eventually faded in cultural significance over time. “For many of today’s students, 9/11 is becoming just another major moment in American history,” he said. “That’s just kind of how history transpires.”
As Arkansas educators continue to honor the memory of 9/11, they are helping students navigate its legacy with tools to critically engage with the past and prepare for the future.