Iconic photo’s universal message lives on

Vol. 111 No. 27 Sept. 9-Sept. 16, 2021 ©2021 The Amsterdam News Vol. 111 No. 27 Sept. 9-Sept. 16, 2021 ©2021 The Amsterdam News

Vol. 112 No. 36 | September 9, 2021 - September 15, 2021 9/11 Twenty Year Commemorative Issue 9/11 Twenty Year Commemorative Issue

THE NEW BLACK VIEW

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(COPYRIGHT ANTHONY WHITAKER)

By HERB BOYD

Special to the AmNews

World Trade Center

As the day nears for the 20th year since terrorists crashed two hijacked planes into the World Trade Center buildings, a reckoning may be in store for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the attacks. The advent of COVID-19 delayed the case’s pretrial proceedings that shut down the court in Guantanamo Bay. In one of the worst moments in American history, the al Qaeda terrorists also hijacked two other planes; one crashed into the Pentagon and other in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, in all killing nearly 3,000 people.

Mohammed and four other terrorists have not had a trial, and paramount to the case will be whether the confessions derived by torture would be admitted during the trial. The lawyers for the defendants have claimed the confessions were obtained by “enhanced interrogation techniques” or torture, including many instances of Mohammed being waterboarded.

Col. Matthew McCall of the Air Force will be the presiding judge when the trial resumes on Tuesday, the fourth judge to take the bench in the hearings. The case has been interrupted on several occasions because of the changes of judges, defense counsel, and lead prosecutors.

The numerous waterboardings of Mohammed were conducted under the jurisdiction of Dr. James Mitchell, a psychologist contracted by the CIA. Nearly 200 sessions of the simulated drowning technique were applied to Mohammed. Mohammed’s counsel cited a Senate report that concluded, “The CIA’s justification for the use of its enhanced interrogation techniques rested on inaccurate claims of their effectiveness.” Mitchell defended his actions as patriotic and told the court, “I’d get up and do it again.”

Much of Mitchell’s techniques are fully disclosed in his book “Enhanced Interrogation: Inside the Minds and Motives of the Islamic Terrorists Trying to Destroy America,” co-authored with Bill Harlow. “Call me Mukhtar,” Mitchell claimed Mohammed declared. “Mukhtar means ‘the brain,’” Mohammed added. “I was the emir of the 9/11 attacks.”

Mohammed was captured in 2003 in Pakistan, where he was probably born. From there he was transferred

to a succession of CIA black sites. Prior to the 9/11 attacks, Mohammed traveled across Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America gathering recruits and disclosing parts of his terrorist at(Image by David Mark from Pixabay) tacks. According to al Jazeera, in 2002, Mohammed termed the attacks “Holy Tuesday,” bragging that they were designed to create chaos and havoc and kill as many people as possible. “I was responsible for the 9/11 operation,” he confessed, though saying he was not happy that children were among those killed. There are reports now that he has stopped making claims about the dastardly deeds that included the murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl in 2002. “I decapitated with my blessed right hand the head of the American Jew, Daniel Pearl, in the city of Karachi, Pakistan.” He said there were pictures of him on the Internet holding Pearl’s head. That claim has been confirmed by the FBI.

By CYRIL JOSH BARKER

Amsterdam News Staff

Anthony Whitaker’s famed photo of the World Trade Center’s ruins from the 9/11 attacks titled “Steel Standing” is a symbol of the day that changed the course of American history. Twenty years later its message of perseverance has a meaning that goes beyond the tragedy.

Whitaker was a ConEdison first responder and is also a photographer. He brought his camera with him the night he was working at Ground Zero and shot a 24-story, 207-foot-tall facade of tower No. 2. The destruction nearby of twisted metal, piled debris and smokey haze captured a poignant moment just after the World Trade Center towers fell.

“When I saw it, it was so majestic that night,” Whitaker told the AmNews. “It was like the ruin spoke to me. I am ‘steel standing.’ That rang in my head. It was like a mantra, a sense of healing. As an artist, when I got the transmission, that moved me to capture that image.”

A week later Whitaker was in the same spot during the early morning hours and was able to capture the shot again in the way he wanted. Whitaker said he had a sense the photo would be iconic for years to come.

“It’s very difficult to know for sure. I know the message that I got was very powerful,” he said. “In the context of 9/11 it’s explosive because of the towers falling, the meaning of steel standing. I felt that if I could get the message out, I felt that the potential was tremendous.”

The “Steel Standing” photo has cemented itself in the story of 9/11. It has been used widely over the last 20 years and has received numerous accolades. Whitaker received a congressional award from Congressman Charlie Rangel, New York State Legislative resolution award, a City Council proclamation, a Manhattan Borough President proclamation from Gale Brewer and a Citation for Merit from Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz.

The photo sits in the lobby of the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building and was seen in the 2020 film “King of Staten Island.” “You think about the amount of people that lost their life abruptly and how that could have been anyone,” Whitaker said. “Sometimes I think about that moment, and it impacts you. I think the message resonates with us as a people. It can resonate for the city itself, the country, for the world. ‘Steel Standing’ is unique and of its own. It’s unprecedented.”

In the last 20 years, the nation has gone through several changes from different presidents, mayors, a racial reckoning and now COVID-19. Whitaker says “Steel Standing” can take on several different meanings and moves with the times.

“It definitely resonates with this global pandemic without a doubt,” he said. “Same thing with George Floyd. He was only one man but because the world saw what happened it impacted the entire world. We as Black people are still standing and we live through adversity. We have to exercise those qualities of courage, strength and resilience to a greater degree than most people.”

Whitaker is in the process of launching a collection of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) for “Steel Standing.” NFTs are units of data stored on a digital ledger certifying a digital asset is unique. As far as the original photo, Whitaker wants to eventually auction it along with the negatives when the time is right. However, he said auction houses have not been receptive to the photo’s value and believes institutional racism is involved. “A lot of white people aren’t happy that I have a message so profound connected to an event that impacted the entire world,” he said. “We’re not supposed to own that or control that. I know I’ve received some salt from them because of that.” Over the last four years, Whitaker has dedicated his life to developing a monument for “Steel Standing.” The sculpture will be a lifelike replica of the World Trade Center frame on a marble base. The first rendition of the “Steel Standing” Monument will be 30 inches in height and is slated to be on permanent display within the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. Whitaker wants to place a 50-foot monument in the center of the Oculus Transportation Hub near the World Trade Center memorial in Lower Manhattan. “The monument is everything I wanted it to be,” he said. “It reflects what was in my soul and in my mind. The monument deserves to be at the Oculus.”

(Photo c ourtesy of Anthony Whitaker )

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between Tompkins and Throop Avenues, Brooklyn, at 3 p.m.).

Former Vulcan President Firefighter John Coombs said that some lessons still have not stuck.

“The FDNY prides itself as the greatest department in the world, and yet we still haven’t found a way to deal with talented and diverse members regardless to what has occurred. The FDNY members revert back to their behaviors of old, which by and large is inclusive exclusive. Twelve Black firefighters and two paramedics from the EMS division are barely mentioned. This shows the levels of nonrecognition that exists.”

A couple of years on the job, and a new Bed Stuy homeowner at the time, Coombs said he had just gone to buy breakfast at the bakery next to Masjid Khalifah on Bedford Avenue when “someone said that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. It did not register, but within 20 minutes a second plane had hit, now it was clear that it was an attack, not an accident. I immediately got into my car, picked up and took my youngest child to my wife. I went to my firehouse Engine Company 250 in Borough Park/Flatbush, and on to the rendezvous point in East New York with several companies.”

Coombs said when he eventually was directed to Ground Zero they were put on a one-day-on-one-day-off schedule. On Sunday, after the Tuesday attack, he said, “I remember going down and it had rained, the smell of decaying flesh was self-evident. There was nothing like it. I spent 14, 15 days down there finding body parts. From the first day I found a hand, a foot, a leg, an arm. There was nothing like this.”

Twelve members of the Vulcan Society who perished on 9/11 were:

Captain Vernon Richards FF Gerald Baptiste FF Vernon Cherry FF Tarel Coleman FF Keith Glascoe FF Ronnie Henderson FF William Henry FF Andrew Fletcher FF Karl Joseph

When asked if he knew where the 12 Vulcan members were lost, Coombs said, “On 9/11 firefighters came from all different houses. Those closest to downtown probably got there first, and so may have been in the first tower that fell.”

At a grand opening event at Vulcan Hall on Brooklyn’s Eastern Parkway, Coombs said Firefighter Tarel Coleman stood with him as he welcomed attendees at the entrance. “I was two or three years in, and had a plumber’s union background. Tarel was with Squad 252—they are the firefighters’ fighters—they rescue us. I said I would think about it. I didn’t know that was the last time I would ever see him.”

Contemplating, Coombs added it was a point of contention that the sacrifice of the Black firefighters was largely ignored.

“My thoughts is life is precious. We shouldn’t ignore people or organizations like the Vulcans because we differ in opinions. We all have something to offer. But then FDNY ignores what they don’t think is in their best interest. History has proven that diversity is powerful, because it brings ideas and perspectives that you may not have considered because of your limited exposure.”

As for mental health considerations in the aftermath, Coombs said, “Ishan Scott, retired from Ladder 40, pushed the department to have more counseling available. Rev. Lemad Burrison brought a team to counsel us Vulcans in person.”

A number of individuals came forward directly after 9/11 to help Black firefighters navigate the emotional and mental turmoil they were facing.

“Minister Betty Bogan offered counseling and financial support to anyone in need through her church. Sister [Reverend] Cecelia Carey was with The New York Ecumenical Ensemble Choir, and Bishop Rev. James Forbes from the Riverside Cathedral church in Harlem Riverside Drive, helped us. Vulcan Member Rob Thomas, Seventh Day Adventist did motivational and financial workshops… sometimes he used the church on Malcolm X Blvd and Fulton Street.

“September 11 is for me an emotional moment. I can not imagine the hearttugging those who lost loved ones experience, especially this time of year. My heart goes out to them. I pray their burdens are lightened. I saw Tarel Coleman’s daughter and her mother, and she said she was ready to go to college. I am blessed to see my children grow. I don’t suffer from survivor’s guilt, but I do grieve them.

“We all needed counseling. We are all dealing with a lot. Sometimes we let what we want get in the way of what we have.”

Twenty years after the 9/11 collapse of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in Downtown Manhattan, “The power of the human spirit to overcome adversity” is profoundly illustrated by Harlem’s Anthony Whitaker’s world-renowned “Steel Standing” photographturned-sculpture.

Saying he was working by the tragic site as a senior field operator on September 11, 2001, Whitaker said that what he witnessed inspired him to leave blueprints and a legacy for his son Mi-Ama Whitaker. His work, he proudly notes, is recognized by the United Nations, the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian, the Pentagon, and New York City and State museums.

“On September 11, 2001, a day forever etched in billions of people’s memories, I was dispatched to Ground Zero as a first responder to assist with the recovery efforts. I was a field employee working with a small team of experts whose objective was to isolate the hazardous exposed electrical grid from the immediate area and restore power to surrounding consumers.”

Out of the torrid pain and agony came a moment of brilliance in the lens of a camera producing an everlasting symbol of endurance.

Established and etched into the historical and cultural landscape by the people the world over, and internationally renowned organizations alike, “Still/Steel Standing” speaks to the capturing of a life-changing moment in time.

“I was on location for seven consecutive days in what seemed like a war zone,” said Whitaker. “One night while I was carrying out my orders I unexpectedly came face to face with the majestic steel ruin of the South Tower. When I saw the ruin—it was profound. It spoke to me. I am steel. I am still standing. It was a 207 foot tall monolith, 51 foot taller than the Statue of Liberty. It was so unique. It was dealing with an historical event. It was the power that came out of the ruin. It came from a higher source, that name was the powerful message. It was a divine experience in a split moment of time.”

The story of terrorists hijacking planes to attack the Towers, the Pentagon, and brought down in Shanksville, Pennsylvania is the lexicon. There still remain those who question the widely reported version, including Spike Lee with his new HBO docs-series “NYC Epicenters 9/11-> 2021½.”

“We are resilient. We keep moving forward. On that day through the burning building, the horror that was Ground Zero, we did not stop.”

Now a senior district operator with Con Edison, Whitaker also designs and wears his own jewelry out of bronze and semi-precious stones such as amethyst, turquoise, lapis lazuli, carnelian, and Libyan desert glass. “I am an artist. I believe art expresses who we are, what we can achieve, and how we communicate.

“The ultimate vision I have for ‘Steel Standing’ is that its inspirational message transcends across time and humanity to encourage peaceful behavior and provide families, loved ones and friends with the necessary motivation and fortitude to maintain courage and strength, throughout whatever challenges they may be faced with. Today many are faced with the challenge and overcoming the adversity of the COVID-19 global pandemic, so the message of ‘Steel Standing’ continues to resonate.”

As New York braces itself to relive 9/11, Whitaker said, “Overcoming adversity will be something humans will always be confronted with on so many different levels, whether it be personal, as a group of people, nationally and globally. In the process of getting this powerful message out I have myself have had to overcome much adversity, mainly dealing with institutionalized racism from several prominent organizations, as many people in these institutions do not like the fact of a Black man having the intelligence and creative vision to capture and create something so authentic and artistically profound dealing with a historical event that impacted the entire world…Nevertheless, like us as a people, I’ve pressed on and have made much headway in making ‘Steel Standing’ the message the divine universal consciousness wants it to be. I AM STEEL STANDING!!”

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“The Wire” afforded Williams the opportunity to showcase his diverse acting talents, spring-boarding him to appearances on acclaimed series such as “Boardwalk Empire,” “The Night Of” and “When We Rise.” He’s been nominated five times for Emmy Awards, most recently for later this month in the upcoming Primetime Emmy Awards as outstanding supporting actor in a drama series for his portrayal of Montrose Freeman on HBO’s “Lovecraft Country.”

After hearing Barack Obama mention, at a 2008 presidential campaign forum, that “The Wire” was the best show television offers, and specifically mention his character’s name, he was ecstatic.

“Hearing my name come out of his mouth woke me up,” Williams explained in 2017. “I realized that my work could actually make a difference.”

Despite Williams’ on-screen success, he stayed socially conscious, supporting causes such as criminal justice and prison reform. He is the co-founder of We Build the Block, an organization whose mission is to replace over-policing with community-led public safety solutions in New York City.

He played the father of Antron McCray in Ava DuVernay’s mini-series “When They See Us,” about the Central Park 5 case.

“You, brother, touched many,” DuVernay posted on Instagram. “Through your personal interactions big and small, through your community activism, through your struggles, through your triumphs, through your glorious work; you moved many, you moved me.”

David Simon, writer and director for “The Wire,” Tweeted that he was “too gutted” to say more about “a fine man and a rare talent” who “always deserved the best words.”

Nephew Arvance Williams said, “Mike was the kind of person, he would fall and get back up, he was always trying to do better.”

A win on Sept. 19 for his role in HBO’s “Lovecraft Country” would earn Williams his first Emmy Award. He’s survived by his mother, Paula Williams, brother Paul Carey, and three nephews.

A Black man’s emotional recovery from 9/11…20 years later

By CYRIL JOSH BARKER

Amsterdam News Staff

Frederick Myers

In 2011, the AmNews interviewed Frederick Myers, a two-time survivor of both World Trade Center attacks in 1993 and 2001. This year’s 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks finds Myers living his life with resilience.

A former employee of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for 20 years, which had its headquarters in the World Trade Center, Myers worked on the 64th floor of the North Tower. While Myers was not in the building during the 1993 bombing and the 2001 plane crashes, he considers himself a survivor because during both instances, he was supposed to be in the buildings.

At 8:46 a.m. on Sept. 11, 2001, American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the World Trade Center’s North Tower between the 93rd and 94th floors, and the tower collapsed at 10:28 a.m. Myers’ regular schedule would have had him in his office at the time. He was late for work that day. Most of his co-workers were killed that day.

“I’ve skipped over two terrorist attacks,” he said in his 2011 interview. “I can’t explain it. All survivors didn’t come out with dust and blood on their faces. My testimony is that God steered me away from death two times. I was steered away from harm’s way two times.”

Since that time, the AmNews has run Myers’ story annually to coincide with the 9/11 commemoration. Over the years, the piece has received numerous comments praising Myers for his bravery and story of surviving. There were also questions about what happened to him.

Ten years later, Myers and his now27-year-old daughter Lauren sat down with the AmNews to give readers an update on his triumphs and continued success 20 years after the 9/11 attacks.

“September 11 just fortified my relationship with my God,” Myers said. “I listen very closely to the directions to what assignment he wants me to have. What I want people to know is that we’ve got to take care of each other. We have to take care of ourselves, self-care is paramount.”

Over the past 10 years, Myers says he still doesn’t look at the news coverage of the 9/11 commemorations because of the painful memories of the co-workers he lost. He has walked through the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in Lower Manhattan.

“The pain is there but one of the things that I have learned how to do is turn the pain into action,” Myers said. “You can sit around and you can grieve, you can remember, but you need to take some action.”

Some of the action includes continuing to advise the group of young men he mentored while working for the Port Authority. He still serves as an advisor to the men who have moved through the agency and created families of their own.

Myers is currently enrolled in a doctoral program at the historically-Black Morgan State University’s Community College Leadership Program with plans to become a community college president.

“One of the things that I feel like I can do is contribute to the education of those who are coming behind me,” he said. “That’s the work I’m interested in doing. Trying to create situations where people are empowered.”

Along with being a survivor of 9/11, Myers is also a cancer survivor. In December 2020 he was diagnosed with cancer and as of July he is cancer free.

“These are life hurdles that are unexpected but you’re never going to have enough tenacity to overcome those hurdles,” Myers said. “Every hurdle is an opportunity for God to

strengthen you and to fortify you.” Myers credits his daughter Lauren for keeping him motivated. On the day of the 9/11 attacks, Lauren was in the second grade. On that day she thought her father had gone to work and when she found out what was going on she didn’t know where her father was. She eventually received a call from him confirming he was alright. One of the things that made Myers late for work on 9/11 was having to walk his daughter to the bus stop for school. Today at age 27, Lauren holds two associates degrees, a bachelor’s degree and is contemplating a masters degree. She said seeing her father on his emotional journey and success has motivated her. “If he hadn’t walked me to the bus stop, he probably would have been at the towers,” Lauren said. “It’s motivating for me to keep going, especially with my education and to overcome trauma like that in a positive way.” Lauren says she wants to work with victims of domestic violence and has interest in getting a masters degree in psychology. Part of Myers’ healing in(Bill Moore photo) cluded mental health and he says he’s better now than he was 10 years ago. He maintains his criticism that the Port Authority at the time didn’t do enough to address the mental health of people who suffered both World Trade Center attacks. Myers said the suffering of African Americans during and after 9/11 has still not been told and addressed sufficiently. “Many of the African Americans who suffered from 9/11 were in service capacity, very much like COVID,” he said. “They were the busboys, they were the cooks, they were the servers, they were maintenance people. Those folks made the World Trade Center great. The African American voice is kind of silent for a couple of people who wanted to grandstand.” Myers concluded, “My message is, keep moving forward. It doesn’t matter if you stumble, even if you fall, the gospel song says, ‘we fall down but we get up.’ I welcome any adversity, any challenge. I’ve been fortunate, I’ve been blessed.”