As our nation marks the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder is looking back through our archives to examine how we reported on the tragedy in the days following the event.
In MSR’s Sept. 13 and Sept. 20, 2001 editions, while many national media outlets focused heavily on military mobilization, MSR provided critical Black perspectives, centering civil rights, anti-war analysis, and community mental health.
In the Sept. 13, 2001 edition, a front-page photo of the burning World Trade Center towers accompanied a clear warning to readers: “While some are already speculating about who was responsible for Tuesday’s attacks, cooler heads urge that citizens refrain from rushing to judgment.”
In that article titled “Our Perspective: No rush to judgment,” MSR urged government leaders and the public to protect civil liberties rather than react out of fear.
“A catastrophe such as this is certain to test our principles of due process; now is our opportunity to show the world that the justice system means what it says when we declare that a person is innocent until proven guilty.”
The peice warned against racial profiling, pointing to past mistakes of Japanese Americans during WWII and Jim Crow violence against Black Americans.
Community and national reactions
By the Sept. 20, 2001 edition, MSR deepened its focus on justice and due process. A news analysis titled “Blacks respond to attacks” by the late Mel Reeves, former MSR community editor, documented both national and Twin Cities reactions. Reeves highlighted immediate concerns from Black leaders regarding foreign policy actions and early instances of anti-Muslim harassment across the country.
The coverage featured prominent voices from, the then St. Paul NAACP President Nathaniel Khaliq speaking on anti-Muslim backlash, civil rights leader Dr. Joseph Lowery, warning against entering a cycle of violent retaliation and Rev. Jesse Jackson urging Americans not to repeat historic mistakes of panic racial profiling.
Supporting local families
Alongside political commentary, MSR prioritized immediate support for local families. In an article titled “Helping kids cope with terrorist attacks,” MSR shared actionable guidance from clinical staff at Minneapolis’s Washburn Child Guidance Center to help parents help children process traumatic news images and fear.
Historical editions of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder can be accessed through the the Minnesota Historical Society Digital Newspaper Hub.