Rare, Powerful Photos from September 11, 2001

Mel Judson
Updated September 23, 2021 10.4M views 23 items

For many Americans, there is no single event in modern history as sobering as 9/11, a tragedy was so horrific, it redefined the modern world. If you lived through September 11th, 2001, whether in New York or beyond, you'll likely always remember exactly where you were when you heard the news that a passenger plane had struck the towers.

This horrific event shook Americans to their core and revealed the dangers they faced, but most of all, it brought them together. Americans united to demonstrate their resilience in the face of terrorism; they proved that they wouldn't allow the thousands lost in New York and Washington, DC, perish in vain. 

Several of the following rare 9/11 photos were banned in the early days after the attacks. Others have become iconic 9/11 photos that symbolize the strength of the American people. Here, we honor those who lost their lives in the planes, in the towers themselves, and in the surrounding buildings and devastation. We honor those impossibly brave first responders, many of whom gave their lives in order to save as many others as possible.

For those interested in donating, the FealGood Foundation, started by Ground Zero responder John Feal, advocates for first responders' rights and medical benefits.

  • View Of The Attacks Behind The Statue Of Liberty

    View Of The Attacks Behind The Statue Of Liberty
    Photo: 9/11 Photos / Flickr / CC BY 2.0

    The dichotomy of the beautiful sunny September day in New York juxtaposed with the smoke billowing from Ground Zero is unearthly. The Department of Homeland Security was created in response to 9/11 and combined 22 government agencies into one.

  • Firefighters Look Over The Rubble

    Firefighters Look Over The Rubble
    Photo: Porter Gifford / Contributor / Corbis Historical

    Only 14 people escaped from the impact zone of the south tower (floors 77-85), and only four people total made it out from all of the floors above. After the towers collapsed, only 23 people in all were able to escape from the debris, including 15 rescue workers. The last survivor was found 27 hours after the collapse.

    A total of 6,294 people were treated in area hospitals.

  • Firefighter Directs the FDNY Through The Wreckage

    Firefighter Directs the FDNY Through The Wreckage
    Photo: Unknown / Max Pixel / Public Domain

    Firefighters took just over 100 days to put out all the fires ignited by the 9/11 attacks on New York.

  • Toxic Dust And Debris Fill Manhattan

    Toxic Dust And Debris Fill Manhattan
    Photo: Det. Greg Semendinger / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

    On May 24th, 2007, Dr. Charles S. Hirsch, Chief Medical Examiner in New York, ruled that the 2002 death of Felicia Dunn-Jones in was due to dust exposure, irrefutably linked to the 9/11 attack. It was, therefore, a homicide that raised the 9/11 death toll to 2,750.

  • North Tower Directly After Impact

    North Tower Directly After Impact
    Photo: NIST Robert Miller / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

    Of the 19 total hijackers, 15 were from Saudi Arabia, two were from the United Arab Emirates, one was from Lebanon, and one was from Egypt.

  • Smoke Pours Through NYC

    Smoke Pours Through NYC
    Photo: Det. Greg Semendinger / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

    Many 9/11 victims have succumbed to the effects of poisonous smoke and dust years after the attacks. Local residents and first responders developed mouth, throat, and lung cancer, as well as other respiratory problems after September 11th. 

  • Flight 175 Producing A Fireball As It Hits The South Tower

    Flight 175 Producing A Fireball As It Hits The South Tower
    Photo: Robert J. Fisch / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0

    Less than an hour after it was hit, the South Tower collapsed and imploded in on itself. The steel structure was built to withstand 200 mph winds and standard fires, but could not hope to survive the combination of the impact and the sheer heat generated by the burning jet fuel.

  • Patriotism At Ground Zero

    Patriotism At Ground Zero
    Photo: Preston Keres / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

    Later in 2001, Congress approved a measure making September 11th a National Holiday to honor those fallen, and those who served on that day. "Patriots' Day" is observed every year on the anniversary of the attacks.

  • Smoke Ebbing Across The Sea

    Smoke Ebbing Across The Sea
    Photo: NASA / NASA / Public Domain

    The fourth flight (Flight 93) could've ended in even greater tragedy if not for its brave passengers. Their flight was delayed, enabling them to hear about the attack in NYC. 

    Thomas Burnett Jr., one of the passengers, said in a phone call to his wife “I know we’re all going to die. There’s three of us who are going to do something about it. I love you, honey.”

    Another passenger, Todd Beamer, was heard saying “Are you guys ready? Let’s roll” over an open line. Sandy Bradshaw, a flight attendant, called her husband and explained that she had slipped into a galley and was filling pitchers with boiling water. Her last words to him were “Everyone’s running to first class. I’ve got to go. Bye.”

  • The Remains At Ground Zero

    The Remains At Ground Zero
    Photo: The U.S. National Archives / Flickr / No known copyright restrictions

    Ground Zero was the term quickly adopted by media outlets around the world to describe the area where the two towers were hit. The term Ground Zero was originally used to refer to the site of the Hiroshima attack in 1945.

  • The Pentagon's Emergency Response

    The Pentagon's Emergency Response
    Photo: Unknown / FBI / Public Domain

    On March 31st, 2017, the FBI released this photo alongside dozens of other never-before-seen images from September 11th, 2001.

    Covering both the interior and exterior of the Pentagon, the photos capture the urgency of the response and the pure shock felt by everyone present.

  • Firefighters Resting At Ground Zero

    Firefighters Resting At Ground Zero
    Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Flickr / CC BY 2.0

    Of the 2,753 lost during the World Trade Center attacks, 343 were New York City firefighters, another 23 were New York City police officers, and 37 were officers at the Port Authority.

  • The North Tower Just Before Collapse

    The North Tower Just Before Collapse
    Photo: Greg Seminger / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

    Although the North Tower was struck first, it didn't collapse until after the South had already fallen. The total time between the first plane's impact and both buildings' final collapse was only 102 minutes.

  • Less Than An Hour After The First Plane Hit In NYC, The Pentagon Was Attacked

    Less Than An Hour After The First Plane Hit In NYC, The Pentagon Was Attacked
    Photo: Gordon Calhoun / The Sextant / Public Domain

    American Airlines flight 77, traveling from Virginia to Los Angeles, hit the Pentagon in Washington only 51 minutes after the first attack in NYC.

  • The Destruction In Washington, DC

    The Destruction In Washington, DC
    Photo: U.S. Navy / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

    A third attack – a fourth flight – had been planned and was nearly executed. United Airlines Flight 93 traveling from Newark to San Francisco, CA, crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The passengers on that flight were able to overcome their hijackers and prevent a larger catastrophe.

  • The Point Of Impact At The Pentagon

    The Point Of Impact At The Pentagon
    Photo: Cedric H. Rudisill / U.S. National Archives / Public Domain

    While not as devastating as the damage in New York, the attack at the Pentagon in Washington claimed 184 American lives.

  • Remains Of The FBI Offices In The Pentagon

    Remains Of The FBI Offices In The Pentagon
    Photo: Unknown / FBI / Public Domain

  • Nearby Buildings Were Also Devastated By The Fallout

    Nearby Buildings Were Also Devastated By The Fallout
    Photo: Eric J. TIlford / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

    In addition to WTC towers one and two, WTC 7 also collapsed. Nearby buildings were assaulted with falling debris and shrapnel, causing injuries and millions in damages. By 2006, WTC 7 was rebuilt and reopened, as were the other surrounding buildings.

  • The North Tower Was Engulfed In Flames And Smoke After Impact

    The North Tower Was Engulfed In Flames And Smoke After Impact
    Photo: Anonymous / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

    The American Boeing 767 was loaded with over 20,000 gallons of jet fuel when it hit the north tower. The plane left a gaping hole near the 80th floor of the 110 story building, killing hundreds on impact, and trapping even more on the floors above.

  • NYC Honors The Towers At Ground Zero

    NYC Honors The Towers At Ground Zero
    Photo: Denise Gould / U.S. Air Force / Public Domain

    Before they officially established a memorial, the Tribute in Light commemorated the tragedy of 9/11. This memorial consisted of 88 searchlights in the footprints of the towers.

  • The September 11th Memorial At The Pentagon

    The September 11th Memorial At The Pentagon
    Photo: Brien Aho / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

    On the seventh anniversary of the attacks, the Pentagon memorial was completed, a landscaped park with 184 benches facing the Pentagon. When the building itself was repaired in 2001-2002, an indoor chapel and memorial was added to the building.

  • Freedom Tower In NYC

    Freedom Tower In NYC
    Photo: Joey Mabel / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0

    Also known as One World Trade Center or 1WTC, the Freedom Tower is the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere and the fifth tallest in the world. In a subtle reference to the year of the USA's founding, the tower reaches a height of 1,776 feet. The building officially opened on November 3rd, 2014.

  • September 11th Memorial At Ground Zero

    September 11th Memorial At Ground Zero
    Photo: Unknown / Pxhere / Public Domain

    Since the memorial opened in 2011, tens of millions of people have visited Ground Zero, and as of 2017, more than 10 million have attended the museum since its opening in May, 2014. The memorial hosts many educational programs throughout the day, and the museum has over 12,500 artifacts and 23,000 pictures to commemorate those we lost in 2001.

    To donate to an organization invested in first responders' medical care and rights, visit the FealGood Foundation.