September 11th: Special Programming

On September 11, 2011, the nation will mark the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. WFPL will carry NPR's special coverage throughout the day on Sunday. Join us for an NPR news special from 8am-2pm, anchored by Weekend Edition host Audie Cornish. Audie will be joined by Robert Siegel at the World Trade Center site in New York, Tom Bowman at the Pentagon, and John Ydstie in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Robert, Tom, and John reported from those sites in the days following the attacks, and they will guide us through the 10th anniversary events at each location.NPR's National Political Correspondent Don Gonyea, White House Correspondent Mara Liasson, and Global Security Correspondent Tom Gjelten will be with Audie in our Washington studios, and Counterterrorism Correspondent Dina Temple-Raston will join the broadcast from NPR New York. Morning Edition host Renee Montagne will be on the line from Kabul, Afghanistan; Quil Lawrence will join us from an embed with troops in Afghanistan; and Kelly McEvers will be with us from Baghdad.Audie will also talk with other NPR reporters at various locations in the New York area; victims of the attacks and their family members; newsmakers; military personnel; and outside experts on terrorism, intelligence, American culture, international relations, and the Middle East.From 2-5pm, Neal Conan invites listeners to share their memories and reflections. Each hour will focus on a different aspect of the nation's collective experience, beginning by asking listeners what images are seared into their memories from September 11. Next, for many people, it was a day of decisions — large and small. Conan will ask people what personal decisions they made on 9/11, and hear the stories of those who had to act at the local, national and international level. The final hour will examine what changed in people's lives, and in the life our country. Conan will have lots of company for these hours, including commentator Ted Koppel, newsmakers, thought-leaders, and reporters. Weekend All Things Considered will run as normal from 5-8pm. Host Guy Raz and NPR correspondents in Washington, at the Pentagon, in Pennsylvania and in New York will report and reflect on the day.At 8pm we'll bring you A Concert for Hope, live from the Kennedy Center. President Obama will speak during the concert. The event will also feature R&B legend Patti LaBelle, country superstar Alan Jackson, and renowned mezzo soprano Denyce Graves. Music, readings, and reflections will instill a sense of renewal and hope for the decade ahead.