September 2, 2004
The September Project to celebrate democracy on Sept. 11, 2004
Original patriotic music will ring out in Glendale, Calif., discussions of citizenship and civil liberties will be held in Greencastle, Ind., and bagpipes will play as a flag is lowered to half-staff in Colorado Springs, Colo. Nationwide, citizens will gather to discuss their country on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2004.
It’s all part of an effort called The September Project, which envisions making Sept. 11 a day of community-based reflection and discussion at local libraries and other public places, this year and every year.
And so far, nearly 400 libraries and other venues across 47 states have responded with interest, enthusiasm, and creativity. Participating libraries have planned discussions, lectures, readings, musical and dramatic performances, art and historical exhibits and films, all free of charge and designed to help visitors investigate the nature of democracy, citizenship and patriotism in the post-Sept.11 era.
David Silver, an assistant professor of communication at the University of Washington, and Sarah Washburn, formerly with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation U.S. Library Program, co-direct the project. Silver said the idea for such a day of community gatherings and shared opinions on what has been named Patriot Day came as he considered the effects of the 2001 terrorist attacks on the nature of American political and social discourse.
“We believe that since September 11, 2001, Americans have not had a rigorous creative, collective dialogue about issues that matter,” said Silver. “With attention on 9/11 and with engagement in the election, now is the time to have that conversation.”
Washburn and Silver say The September Project is nonpartisan and unrelated to any political party or candidate in the coming elections. The project is designed to embrace diversity of opinion. “We want a cross-fertilization of ideas,” Silver said, “shared publicly and collectively.”
The two say each community’s library makes the perfect location for such gatherings. “It’s not just a physical place, it’s also a symbolic place to offer free, open access to information and ideas,” Washburn said.
It’s up to the individual librarians, Silver and Washburn say, to decide what activities are right for their community. So far, planned events vary from readings about liberty and democracy, art projects, children’s programs, dramatic portrayals to original music, exhibits of art and political cartoons, poetry readings, displays of government documents and voter registration.
The number of participating locations has grown almost daily since Silver and Washburn started The September Project in early spring. Responding groups stretch across the spectrum of daily life, including firefighters, church choirs, peace and human rights organizations, theater groups, religious organizations and library support groups as well as the League of Women Voters, the American Civil Liberties Union, The Red Cross, AmeriCorps and the Girl Scouts of the USA.
The project has a long and varied list of planned activities. For instance:
• In Santa Cruz County, Calif., libraries will hold “Patriot Day: A Community Conversation” countywide to explore all aspects of citizenship that will be recorded and submitted to local government officials.
• A program called “Celebrating Our American Liberties” in Colorado Springs, Colo., will feature actors’ portrayals of noted Americans from history as well as musical presentations and a children’s program on flag etiquette.
• The Country Day School in Huntsville, Ala., will open to the public that Saturday, with readings of the Caldecott Award-winning children’s book “The Man Who Walked Between the Towers” about Philippe Petit’s 1974 tightrope walk between the World Trade Center towers, and other works.
The September Project also has won praise from people concerned with the nation’s level of community discourse. Robert Putnam, a professor of public policy at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, said, “As we enter the new century, it is now past time to begin to reweave the fabric of our communities. The September Project is a creative effort to revitalize American civil engagement one library, one school, one park at a time.” Well-known Seattle librarian, author and NPR commentator Nancy Pearl said, “I think libraries are the cornerstone of democracy. They are the last small-d democratic institution in our country. And as such, anything they can do to foster discussion about the issues facing our country and our world today is great.”
The September Project continues to seek participants. Additional information on sites and activities for Saturday, Sept. 11, is on the organization’s Web site, http://www.theseptemberproject.org. For more information, contact Washburn and Silver at info@theseptemberproject.org.
