New 1993 WTC Bombing Artifacts Donated to 9/11 Museum

With the 24th anniversary of 1993 World Trade Center bombing approaching, 9/11 Memorial Museum curators accepted two new artifacts into the permanent collection related to this attack. The first is a shard of window glass from the North Tower. The second is a construction sign that workers placed outside the complex during the recovery and reconstruction. The gift also included eight photos that document the extent of the damage.

The artifacts were donated by Danny Sassa, a volunteer firefighter and filmmaker whose uncle was killed in the 9/11 attacks. These artifacts were originally owned by Harold Spedding, a former New Jersey State Police Detective and FEMA officer who worked on the recovery and kept these objects. Sassa came upon them in an estate sale. “I knew they belonged in the museum’s collection,” he said.

Sassa, became interested in World Trade Center-related history after he attended a 9/11 Memorial ceremony and learned from a Port Authority employee that the Port Authority/WTC archives were destroyed in the attacks. In an effort to help rebuild these lost archives, Sassa started to independently seek archival materials.

Over the past seven years he has devoted time to researching the construction and life of the original World Trade Center. This interest has turned into a book project about the history of the site. As a result, he has amassed a rich collection of artifacts and documents, mostly procured at estate sales that trace this early history.

This is the third donation he has made to the museum. When asked about why it was important for him to donate these items, Sassa said, “It’s not just about my family, or the 2001 families, but also the 1993 families.”

By 9/11 Memorial Staff