STAMFORD, Conn., July 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The 9/11 Legacy Foundation today announced the launch of its national September 11 curriculum on its website, the911legacy.org/curriculum/, with plans for the curriculum to also be featured on Freedom250.org, the official website celebrating America’s 250th anniversary of independence. Beginning July 1, 2026, schools, families, community organizations, and civic groups across the country will be able to access the Foundation’s comprehensive curriculum, including engagement pathways, leadership stories, and lesson plans.
The curriculum, which spans five pillars of learning and is designed for audiences from kindergarten through adult, offers a range of entry points into 9/11 education and remembrance. The Foundation’s engagement pathways give participants tools to connect with the legacy of September 11 through their own communities, local memorials, firsthand testimony, and the stories of individuals who led under extraordinary pressure.
“September 11 is not just a chapter in a history book, it is a living legacy that continues to shape who we are as a nation,” said Dr. Chris Meek, founder of the 9/11 Legacy Foundation. “As we work toward being part of the Freedom 250 platform during this milestone observance, we are excited to begin this journey by launching our curriculum directly to the public. As Americans pause to reflect on 250 years of freedom, they will also have the opportunity to engage deeply with one of the most defining moments of the last 25 years. We look forward to joining this national conversation.”
The Foundation’s curriculum is built around an Active Remembrance model, designed to move participants from historical awareness to civic participation through discovery, reflection, storytelling, and community engagement. For example, with more than 1,100 September 11 memorials mapped across all 50 states and territories, the curriculum connects Americans to remembrance in their own backyards, reinforcing the spirit of grassroots, community-level civic engagement central to the Freedom 250 mission.
The need for this curriculum is urgent. Today, only 14 states require that 9/11 be taught in schools, meaning the vast majority of American students have no guaranteed exposure to one of the most consequential events in modern history. The 9/11 Legacy Foundation’s curriculum addresses this gap directly, providing free, accessible and comprehensive resources that do not depend on a state mandate to reach the next generation.
“Most September 11 curricula begin and end in the classroom, and while that is critically important, the legacy of that day belongs to all Americans, not just students,” Meek continued. “What makes the 9/11 Legacy Foundation’s curriculum different is that it was designed from the ground up to meet Americans where they are, whether that’s a fifth-grade classroom, a corporate leadership team, a faith community, a veterans organization, or a family sitting around a kitchen table. Through our engagement pathways, every American, regardless of age, background, or setting, has a meaningful and accessible way to engage with the legacy of 9/11, carry those stories forward, and connect remembrance to civic life in their own community.”
The timing is intentional. As the nation marks 250 years of independence this July 4, the Foundation’s curriculum serves as a reminder that the freedoms Americans celebrate today have been tested and defended across generations, including in the days, months, and years following September 11, 2001.
The 9/11 Legacy Foundation’s curriculum is available beginning July 1, 2026, at the911legacy.org/curriculum/, with plans to also be featured on Freedom250.org in the coming months. Additional lessons, leadership stories from the companion book “Keeping Our Nation’s Promise,” and oral history resources will continue to be added through the September 11, 2026 commemoration.
About the 9/11 Legacy Foundation
The 9/11 Legacy Foundation is dedicated to ensuring that the memory of September 11, 2001, and its enduring impact on our nation are always remembered. Through education, storytelling, and commemoration, the Foundation preserves stories of heroism, sacrifice, and resilience. By engaging survivors, families, first responders, and future generations, the Foundation works to honor those we lost and inspire a renewed commitment to unity, service, and vigilance. Learn more at www.the911legacy.org.
About Freedom 250
Freedom 250 is a nonprofit division of the National Park Foundation dedicated to celebrating and advancing public awareness of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Semiquincentennial. Freedom 250 promotes public engagement, civic participation, and national unity through partnerships with organizations across the public and private sectors. Learn more at www.freedom250.org.
Contact: Christina Stroback
The 9/11 Legacy Foundation
319.936.9300
christina@the911legacy.org
