Ground Zero: How a Photograph Sent a Message of Hope

In the midst of the trauma and pain that was the aftermath of September 11, 2001, a single photograph shone a ray of hope. Three firefighters, weary and begrimed with dust, raise an American flag against the backdrop of a gray mound of broken beams, trash, and rubble. It is a perfect composition, a bright spot of color against the dust-covered destruction, that immediately became a symbol of the American character, the resilience to continue forward and upward even in the face of heartbreak. This excellent book gives the historic background to the events of the day and focuses on this single photograph to help late middle-school to high-school students make sense of this terrible American tragedy. It includes conversations with the photographer, with the firefighters, and with others who witnessed the event first-hand, and it’s full of additional photos and white space that keep the text from becoming too dense or overwhelming. Students will appreciate the measured and thoughtful analysis that followed the picture from its serendipitous inception (the photo was not staged or planned in any way) to its impact and importance for uniting American hearts.