Why America’s Post-September 11 Unity Was So Special

It was a dynamic rarely seen in U.S. history, before or since. Members can share articles with friends & family to bypass the paywall. The most terrible day in recent American history included an uplifting but largely forgotten moment. Just hours after the terrorist attacks that took nearly 3,ooo lives—and prompted the evacuation of the U.S. Capitol—hundreds of members of Congress from both parties joined together on the steps of the Capitol to sing a stirring rendition of “God Bless America.” Carroll Doherty is the former director of political research at Pew Research Center. More We Think You’d Like