Every year on September 11 for the past two-and-a-half decades has been a somber day for millions across the world. The 2001 terrorist attack on New York City that collapsed the Twin Towers and caused thousands of deaths in the process will forever be a sore spot in American history, especially when considering so many of the bright futures wiped out in a single act of hatred.
What makes the tragedy even sadder is a specific detail that shook the core of everyone who knows, especially those in our community. A third plane used to orchestrate the attack on The Pentagon in Virginia was carrying three brilliant 11-year-old Black science scholars onboard: Bernard Brown II, Asia Cottom and Rodney Dickens.
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Bernard, Asia and Rodney were three D.C.-based ecology enthusiasts who were on a path to getting an early start in the field. They were each specially selected to study the natural science in California alongside actual National Geographic Society researchers. Bernard represented for Leckie Elementary School, Rodney was an honor student at Ketcham Elementary School and Asia was getting it for both the girls and Backus Middle School. They were preteens with their own specific likes — basketball, wrestling and soccer, respectively — who were simply excited to visit a new state and learn something new about the world. Their shared age also brings to mind a then-preteen generation of Millennials who just two weeks prior were experiencing the shocking death of R&B icon Aaliyah. It’s heartbreaking to think with that on their minds, they too would fall victim to the “new fear unlocked” of an airplane crash by the time school started back up.
Take a look below at some heartfelt memories once shared about Rodney, Asia and Bernard below, via D.C. Public Schools:
“Asia was a new student at Backus Middle School. Her father worked at the school as a coach and a classroom aide. Teachers remembered Asia as kindhearted and eager to help her classmates.
Bernard was the type of student who kept teachers on their toes at Leckie Elementary School. Bernard’s teachers agreed that he was showing real progress, and that was one of the reasons why he was recommended to participate in the trip. He loved basketball and wanted to play professionally one day.
Rodney always made the honor roll at Ketcham Elementary School. His mother expected him to be a role model for his two younger brothers, as his two older sisters had been for him. His favorite activity was watching professional wrestling—no matter what he was doing, ‘…he made it home to see wrestling,’ his aunt remembered.”
Along with them, we also give our condolences to the adults in attendance who also lost their lives in the attack. Below you’ll find the chilling final photo of all three students, including chaperones Hilda Taylor from Leckie, James Debeuneure of Ketcham and Sarah Clark from Backus, just before their fateful flight:
On this day of remembrance, we give our heartfelt condolences to each and every family who was affected in any way by the tragedy of September 11, 2001. For Asia, Bernard and Rodney specifically, we hope your youthful spirits are somewhere soaring high, and may your individual stories inspire a generation to fearlessly go for their dreams at any age.
Never Forget: Remembering 3 Brilliant Black Kids Lost On 9/11
was originally published on
blackamericaweb.com
