Remember Exactly Time Where You Were at the Time of Based on those age eight or older at time of event*
Among eight other historic events tested, only one – the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963 – is a vivid memory for virtually all of those old enough to remember the tragedy: 95% of Americans who were born in 1955 or earlier, and who would have been eight or older in 1963, say they can recall exactly where they were or what they were doing. That is virtually unchanged from 1999 (96%).
Both 9/11 and Kennedy’s assassination stand apart from other developments, including some recent events. For instance, 81% of adults recall where they were in May when President Obama announced that Osama bin Laden had been killed by U.S. forces.
The other national event that resonated as widely as 9/11 and Kennedy’s death among those old enough to recall is Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor. The Pew Research Center’s 1999 study found that 89% of those who were eight or older at the time of Pearl Harbor were able to recall exactly where they were or what they were doing when they first heard of the attack.
Remember Exactly Time Where You  | Were at the Time of  | Based on those age eight or older at time of event*  | 9/11 attacks (2001)  | 97  | JFK assassination (1963)  | 95  | Osama killing (2011)  | 81  | 1st man on moon (1969)  | 80  | Challenger explos. (1986)  | 79  | 70 71 72  | MLK assassination (1968)  | Nixon resignation (1974)  | OK City bombing (1995)  | Berlin Wall falling (1989)  | 58  | From 1999 Pew Research Center survey  | Pearl Harbor (1941)  | 89  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER Aug. Laden 17-21, killing 2011, Q9  | PEW Except RESEARCH 2011 Osama CENTER bin Aug. Laden 17-21, killing 2011, based Q9 on age 18+, 