Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance, 2011 - Historical Half-Staff Archive

Historical notice: this observance has ended. This independent FORTISVEX resource preserves a past presidential proclamation; it is not a government notice.

A decade of remembrance and service

Ten years after the September 11 attacks, President Obama's proclamation honored both the people who died and the courage of those who responded. Its opening recalls first responders entering the Pentagon and the towers, alongside citizens who risked their own safety to help others.

The proclamation made service part of remembrance. It urged Americans to carry the victims' legacy forward through practical help in their communities, describing work with people experiencing homelessness, underserved students, and communities recovering from disasters. The call was to make compassion an ongoing responsibility, beyond the anniversary itself.

What the 2011 flag observance called for

The proclamation called on United States departments, agencies, and instrumentalities to display the flag at half-staff on September 11, 2011. It invited governors, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, organizations, and individuals to join the observance. The text identifies the day but does not set numerical start and end times for half-staff display.

The separate moment of silence began at 8:46 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time. That is a specified Eastern time, not an instruction for 8:46 a.m. in every locality. The proclamation also called for appropriate ceremonies, remembrance services, and community service.

Congressional acts cited in the document established Patriot Day and requested the annual National Day of Service and Remembrance. This entry preserves the 2011 proclamation specifically. Its September 9 formal date, September 11 observance, and September 14 Federal Register publication are separate historical dates. Website names within the quoted text are preserved as part of the 2011 document, without a claim that those services remain available today.

Full official proclamation text

Proclamation 8710 of September 9, 2011 — Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance, 2011
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation

In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the American people demonstrated that in times of hardship, the values that define us do not simply endure—they are stronger than ever. As a Nation, we responded to unthinkable tragedy with an outpouring of service and goodwill. On that dark day, first responders rushed into a burning Pentagon and climbed the stairs of smoking towers on the verge of collapse, while citizens risked their own health and safety to prevent further heartbreak and destruction. As Americans, we came together to help our country recover and rebuild.

Today, we pay tribute to the selfless heroes and innocent victims of September 11, 2001, and we reaffirm the spirit of patriotism, service, and unity that we felt in the days and months that followed. By volunteering our time and unique skills, we can enrich communities across our country, and together, we can strengthen our Nation to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

In the days to come, I ask all Americans to join together in serving their communities and neighborhoods in honor of the victims of the September 11 attacks. Today and throughout the year, scores of Americans answer the call to make service a way of life—from helping the homeless to teaching underserved students to bringing relief to disaster zones. I encourage all Americans to visit Serve.gov, or Servir.gov for Spanish speakers, to learn more about service opportunities across our country.

As we join in serving causes greater than ourselves and honoring those we lost, we are reminded of the ways that the victims of 9/11 live on— in the people they loved, the lives they touched, and the courageous acts they inspired. On Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance, we pledge to carry on their legacy of courage and compassion, and to move forward together as one people.

By a joint resolution approved December 18, 2001 (Public Law 107–89), the Congress has designated September 11 of each year as ‘‘Patriot Day,’’ and by Public Law 111–13, approved April 21, 2009, the Congress has requested the observance of September 11 as an annually recognized ‘‘National Day of Service and Remembrance.’’

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim September 11, 2011, as Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance. I call upon all departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the United States to display the flag of the United States at half-staff on Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance in honor of the individuals who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. I invite the Governors of the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and interested organizations and individuals to join in this observance. I call upon the people of the United States to participate in community service in honor of those our Nation lost, to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities, including remembrance services, and to observe a moment of silence beginning at 8:46 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time to honor the innocent victims who perished as a result of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this ninth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.

BARACK OBAMA

Official federal proclamation text from Federal Register pages 56943–56944. Page headings and line wrapping are omitted for readability; the signature is represented by the name above.

Verify the official documents

Read or download the official proclamation PDF from GovInfo · Read the Federal Register record

Find related historical directives in the Presidential Half-Staff Archive.

Signature page from the official published proclamation

Select the published page to open the official PDF.

Preparing a remembrance display

Explore U.S. flags at FORTISVEX when choosing a flag for your location. Review the specific product's material, size, and attachment details for a suitable display.