See What New York City's Murals Tell Us About 9/11, 25 Years Later

More than 25 years after Sept. 11, New York City’s memorial murals still shape how residents physically “remember.” They began appearing shortly after the attacks, often quiet and reflective, honoring firefighters and other responders who died at the World Trade Center. The works included portraits and patriotic imagery such as American flags and eagles, with artists aiming for silence rather than street-art noise. The toll was stark: 343 Fire Department members, 23 police officers, and 84 Port Authority employees lost their lives. Painter Joseph Indart, who started his first mural a week after the attack, has created about 100. Photographer Allan Molho revisited them and found many decayed or turned into graffiti-tag spaces. Despite fading impact, 9/11-related illnesses have since killed more first responders than the collapse.