American Muslims Remember How 9/11 Changed America As They Knew It

How Did 9/11 Change Life for American Muslims?

This week, the PBS NewsHour is marking the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks with stories examining some of the ways that day transformed the nation and the world. Amna Nawaz begins our coverage with a look at the effect on millions of American Muslims. Read the summary, watch the video and answer the discussion questions. To read the transcript of the video, click here.

Discussion Questions

• Who are some of the people interviewed in this piece, and what are their backgrounds?
• What were some of the impacts on Muslims in the U.S. after 9/11 that are mentioned in this piece?
• When did some of the most significant rights violations of Muslims in the U.S. after 9/11?
• Why did an initial call by President George W. Bush and others to unite with Muslims seem to give way to hostility, according to those interviewed here?
• How has life changed for Muslims in the U.S. over the past 20 years, according to those interviewed here?

Focus Questions

1. “My faith was viewed as a curiosity, not a threat … and that changed.” Civil rights attorney Farhana Khera describes the feeling of her religious identity suddenly becoming threatening to so many of her fellow citizens. What do you think the impact was on Muslim citizens to feel as though fellow citizens thought of them as potentially threatening?
2. This piece begins by stating that NewsHour will examine the ways 9/11 changed the “nation and the world.” What are some other ways you think the day changed the nation and world other than those issues discussed in this piece?

Media Literacy: If NewsHour covers the different ways 9/11 changed the nation and world over a week of programming, why do you think this story was chosen to run first?

Additional Resources

• This resourceoffers lessons and teaching strategies for discussing 9/11, including an historical timeline of events on or around its anniversary.

Republished with permission from PBS NewsHour Extra.