The term "Patriot Day" is a proper noun that refers to the annual day of observance in the United States held on September 11. It was established to commemorate the 2,977 people killed in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and in the hijacked United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Officially designated by a joint resolution of the U.S. Congress and signed into law on December 18, 2001, the day is also known as the National Day of Service and Remembrance. By presidential proclamation, the flag of the United States is flown at half-staff on all federal buildings and establishments. A nationwide moment of silence is traditionally observed at 8:46 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, the time the first plane struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Observances include memorial services, prayer services, and community-led volunteer activities.
It is important to distinguish "Patriot Day" (September 11) from "Patriots' Day," which is a separate, regional holiday in the states of Massachusetts and Maine. Patriots' Day is celebrated on the third Monday of April and commemorates the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first engagements of the American Revolutionary War. Unlike Patriots' Day, Patriot Day is a national day of remembrance but is not a federal holiday, meaning businesses and government functions do not typically close.
