The term "Patriot Day" is a proper noun that designates the annual United States observance held on September 11th. This day serves as a national remembrance for the 2,977 people who were killed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, at the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon in Virginia, and in a thwarted attack that resulted in a plane crash in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Established by a presidential proclamation in 2001 and signed into law in 2002, the observance carries specific protocols. The President of the United States directs that the American flag be flown at half-staff at individual American homes, the White House, and on all U.S. government buildings and establishments, both at home and abroad. A nationwide moment of silence is encouraged at 8:46 a.m. (Eastern Daylight Time), the time the first plane struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center. It is important to distinguish this day from Patriots' Day, a regional holiday in some New England states that commemorates Revolutionary War battles in April.
In 2009, the day was also designated as the National Day of Service and Remembrance. This addition expanded the occasion's purpose beyond solemn commemoration, encouraging Americans to participate in community service and charitable activities. This act transforms a day of tragedy into a positive tribute, honoring the victims, survivors, and first responders through acts of unity and service that strengthen local and national communities.
