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New Yorker Covers, 2001–2011 (Reflections on 9/11)

Introduction

Founded in 1925, the New Yorker weekly magazine is well known for its illustrated covers commenting on current events. The New Yorker features journalism, commentary, cartoons, and literary works and is read across the United States and internationally. After the September 11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre in Manhattan in 2001, the New Yorker used its cover illustrations to commemorate the attack itself and comment on its effects.

Sourcing Questions

  1. Who is the intended audience for The New Yorker magazine?
  2. When were these magazine covers published?

Review the following magazine covers, dating from immediately after the attack in 2001 to the tenth anniversary in 2011 and answer the questions that follow.

  • Cover 1: “9/11/2001,” by Art Spiegel man and Françoise Mouldy, September 24, 2001
  • Cover 2: “Street Scene” by Edward Sorel, October 1, 2001
  • Cover 3: “Local Heroes,” by Peter de Seven, October 29, 2001
  • Cover 4: “What So Proudly We Hailed,” by Carter Goodrich, November 5, 2001
  • Cover 5: “The Low Road,” by Barry BLitt, December 17, 2001
  • Cover 6: “Dawn Over Lower Manhattan,” by Ana Juan, September 16, 2002
  • Cover 7: “Tourist,” by Edward Sorel, March 3, 2003
  • Cover 8: “Twin Towers,” by Gurus Dugan Eksioglu, September 15, 2003
  • Cover 9: “Déjà vu,” by Ivan Banyan, September 13, 2004
  • Cover 10: “In the Shadow,” by Carter Goodrich, December 6, 2004
  • Cover 11: “Soaring Spirit” by John Mavroudis and Owen Smith, September 11, 2006
  • Cover 12: “Reflections” by Ana Juan, September 12, 2011

Comprehension Questions

  1. What tones or moods are conveyed with these covers? Answers may vary. 
  2. Which cover do you find most affecting? Explain your reasoning.

Historical Reasoning Questions

  1. Explain the effects that 9/11 had on New York City.
  2. Based on these covers, did the effects of 9/11 as experienced by New Yorkers lessen over time? Explain your reasoning.

Extension Activity

In our BRIdge to the Past video series, Mary takes students through important primary source images to help them get ahead in their class. In this week’s episode, she explores images from The New Yorker that capture the many emotions Americans went through directly following the attack and in the years after as they grappled with its long-lasting effects.

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