OKC to commemorate bombing anniversary Monday
Apr. 18—Multiple national guests are attending this year's Oklahoma City bombing remembrance ceremony to honor the 168 people lost to the act of domestic terrorism 26 years ago.
After last year's ceremony was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's event will be hosted with stringent COVID precautions and will not be accessible to the public due to mitigation efforts. The event will be livestreamed on the Memorial's website beginning at 8:45 a.m. Monday.
Apart from the speakers, the ceremony is only open to the victims' families, all first responders and a few additional people. Masks will be required for all in attendance.
One of the speakers at the ceremony is U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, who led the charge in prosecuting and investigating the deadly act of terrorism in 1995. Garland is making this ceremony his first public appearance outside of Washington D.C. since becoming attorney general in March.
"It's very meaningful and we're honored that he accepted our invitation to join us," said Kari Watkins, executive director of the memorial. "... It's symbolic [because] he was the first person to arrive here on behalf of the Justice Department 26 years ago and ... in his own words, this is one of the most important things he's ever done. So I think for him to come back here, in his first public appearance as the nation's attorney general, is both fitting and powerful."
In a statement to The Transcript, a Department of Justice spokesperson said Garland is looking forward to honoring the victims at this ceremony.
"Oklahoma City holds a special place in the attorney general's heart," said Anthony Coley, a DOJ spokesperson. "He looks forward to seeing and reconnecting with the families of those affected by the bombing 26 years ago."
Grammy Award-winning singer and American Idol finalist Mandisa will sing the National Anthem and additional songs at the ceremony.
Once the ceremony concludes, the OKC Bombing Memorial Museum will be open free to the public from 1 to 7 p.m.
"We're honored to get people in here and bring them into the museum," Watkins said. "[We want] to tell them the story or help them to know the story, and I think it's really important that they have the guts to say, 'I know this is going to be hard to learn the story,' but to come. [Because] when you walk out, you leave so proud and so pleased by the strength of Oklahoma."
Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt will be in attendance, and said that these anniversaries have become "sacred days" in Oklahoma City.
"It began as a time to honor those we lost," Holt said. "We still do that and we always will. As the years pass, it has also become a moment to remind ourselves and the nation of the lessons we should take away from the act of evil that occurred on April 19, 1995.
"We must humanize each other, love each other, live by truth, and never resort to violence. We must have better conversations, especially right now."
Reese Gorman covers COVID-19, local politics and elections for The Transcript; reach him at rgorman@normantranscript.com or @reeseg_3.
