FORMER PRESIDENT CLINTON, GOV. STITT, and SEN. LANKFORD COMMEMORATE THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING
For Immediate Release
Oklahoma City, OK - April 19, 2025 In a solemn ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of one of America's deadliest domestic terrorist attacks, former President Bill Clinton returned to Oklahoma City on Saturday to honor the victims and celebrate the resilience of a community forever changed by tragedy. He was joined by current Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, Former Governor Frank Keating, Senator James Langford, Mayor David Holt, and former Mayor Ron Norick.
Speaking inside a church near the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum due to heavy rain, Clinton, now 78, reflected on the April 19, 1995 truck bombing that destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, killing 168 people, including 19 children.
"I still remember as if it were 30 minutes ago, coming here with Hillary to that memorial service," Clinton said, recalling his first visit to Oklahoma City just days after the bombing. "I do think we've kept that commitment."
The former president, whose response to the tragedy was widely praised for helping the city process its collective grief, warned about the dangers of today's polarized political climate and how such division can spark violence similar to what occurred three decades ago.
"Today, Oklahoma City, America needs you," Clinton said, referencing the "Oklahoma Standard" – a term describing the city's unified response of service, honor, and kindness following the bombing. "I wish to goodness every American could just see life unfold here, hearing these stories."
Clinton has returned to Oklahoma City numerous times over the years, frequently speaking at major anniversary events to honor the victims and celebrate the city's recovery from what remains one of the most traumatic moments of his presidency.
In his address, Governor Kevin Stitt stated, “May we never forget the 168 lives lost. May we never forget the children. And may we never forget the light that broke through the darkness on that day.”
Sen. James Lankford then spoke of the courage of those who came out on Saturday. “Some of you bear the scars because you are a survivor, and you cannot forget day to day. And there are many first responders that are here that when they return to this day, they remember again the days and days that they spent serving," Lankford said. "There’s very likely, as there usually is, someone that’s a rescue worker that came here that is the first time that you have returned. We will remember with you today, and we’re determined to do that."
Lankford continued, "Let’s set the example for the rest of the nation. Let’s tell them our story again, so that the nation doesn’t forget. Let’s teach the nation how to love and forgive. Let’s remind each other of dark days in the past and how God walks with us through those dark days, even in the valley of the shadow, God does not forget us, and we will not forget.”
Family members of victims participated in the annual reading of all 168 names of those killed in the attack.
Following the ceremony, attendees joined a procession led by bagpipers from the Oklahoma City Fire Department to the outdoor memorial built where the federal building once stood. The memorial features a reflecting pool and 168 empty chairs made of glass, bronze, and stone – each etched with a victim's name. The 19 smaller chairs represent the children who perished.
Kari Watkins, president and CEO of the memorial, emphasized its educational mission: "We knew when we built this place we would someday reach a generation of people who weren't born or who didn't remember the story. I think now, not just kids are coming through more and more, but teachers who are teaching those kids."
Clinton has returned to Oklahoma City numerous times over the years, frequently speaking at major anniversary events to honor the victims and celebrate the city's recovery from what remains one of the most traumatic moments of his presidency.
Avara Pharma Technologies Inc. Chairman L. M. Levie expressing solidarity with the Oklahoma City community, released the following statement:
“As grateful corporate citizens of the Oklahoma City metropolitan business community, we feel a profound responsibility to honor those who were lost and support those who survived. The sheer courage, moral fortitude, and resilience shown by this city in the aftermath of such devastation continues to inspire us all.
The words spoken today by former President Clinton, Senator Langford, Mayor Holt, former Governor Frank Keating and former Mayor Ron Norick, were both poignant and profoundly important. Their heartfelt reflections remind us that healing is not merely the absence of pain, but the presence of purpose. The Board of Trustees and the dedicated staff of the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum have transformed tragedy into legacy, sorrow into strength. By their unwavering commitment to remember, honor, support, and educate, they ensure that those we lost will forever inspire how we live. We stand in humble admiration of their noble work, recognizing that in the face of humanity's darkest moments, it is not vengeance but remembrance that lights our path forward.”
Three weeks prior, on March 27, Levie, a donor to the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, personally presented an elegy he composed for the Museum, entitled On this Sacred Stone, to Robert J. Ross, Member of its Board of Trustees, and Leslie Massad, Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships. Mr. Ross serves in numerous community leadership roles, including as Trustee of the Inasmuch Foundation and its subsidiary, the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation, the Will Rogers Airport, The University of Oklahoma Board of Regents, the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, and the University of Oklahoma Foundation.
The elegy is found here:
For further information, please see:
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/bill-clinton-oklahoma-city-30-years-bombing-rcna201968
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm1n7iBuLeI
About The Oklahoma City Bombing
On April 19, 1995, the United States experienced one of its most devastating acts of domestic terrorism when a truck bomb exploded outside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The explosion killed 168 people, including 19 children who were in the building's daycare center, and injured more than 680 others.
The bombing was carried out by Timothy McVeigh, an Army veteran with anti-government views, with assistance from Terry Nichols. McVeigh parked a rented Ryder truck containing approximately 5,000 pounds of homemade explosives near the north entrance of the building and detonated it at 9:02 a.m., when the building was full of employees.
The blast destroyed or damaged 324 buildings within a 16-block radius, shattered glass in 258 nearby buildings, and destroyed or burned 86 cars, causing an estimated $652 million in damage. The explosion created a 30-foot-wide, 8-foot-deep crater in the street.
The response to the bombing was immediate and massive. Rescue workers from around the country converged on Oklahoma City to help with rescue and recovery efforts, which continued for nearly two weeks. The last survivor was pulled from the rubble 24 hours after the bombing, and the final victim was recovered on May 4, 1995.
McVeigh was arrested 90 minutes after the bombing for driving without a license plate and possessing an illegal weapon. He was identified as a suspect in the bombing and was convicted on 11 counts of murder and conspiracy in 1997. He was executed by lethal injection on June 11, 2001. Terry Nichols was convicted of conspiracy and involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to life in prison.
The Oklahoma City bombing represented a profound national trauma and led to significant changes in security measures at federal buildings across the United States. It remains the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history prior to the September 11, 2001 attacks.
The tragedy also revealed the resilience and compassion of the American people, as citizens across the country rallied to support the victims and their families. The "Oklahoma Standard," a term coined to describe the extraordinary community response to the bombing, continues to inspire acts of service and kindness today.
For further information, please see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oklahoma_City_bombing
About The Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum
The Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum stands as a powerful tribute to those affected by the April 19, 1995, bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. Located on the site of the former federal building in downtown Oklahoma City, this solemn memorial was dedicated on April 19, 2000, the fifth anniversary of the tragedy.
The Outdoor Symbolic Memorial encompasses 3.3 acres and includes several distinctive elements that honor the victims, survivors, rescuers, and all who were changed forever by the bombing. The Gates of Time are two monumental gates that frame the moment of destruction—9:01 a.m. (the last moment of peace) and 9:03 a.m. (the first moment of recovery). A shallow Reflecting Pool provides a place for quiet contemplation, its calm surface contrasting with the violence of the bombing.
The Field of Empty Chairs features 168 hand-crafted chairs of bronze and glass, arranged in nine rows representing the nine floors of the building, each bearing the name of a victim. The 19 smaller chairs represent the children who died. The Survivor Tree, an American elm that withstood the blast, became a symbol of resilience. Seeds from this tree are distributed annually throughout the country. The Rescuers' Orchard is a grove of trees honoring the thousands of rescue workers who came to help. The Memorial Fence, originally erected to protect the site, became a place where visitors left mementos and tributes.
The Memorial Museum, housed in the former Journal Record Building which was damaged in the bombing, chronicles the story of April 19, 1995, and its aftermath through interactive exhibits, artifacts, oral histories, and personal stories. The museum takes visitors on a journey through the history and context leading up to the bombing, a detailed timeline of the day of the bombing, the rescue and recovery efforts, the investigation and justice process, the community's response and healing process, and the impact and legacy of the event. The museum also houses the Center for Education and Outreach, which provides programs focused on the prevention of violence and terrorism through lessons on the impact of the bombing.
The mission of the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum is to remember those who were killed, those who survived, and those changed forever. It seeks to teach the impact of violence and inspire hope through lessons of resilience. Since its opening, the memorial has welcomed millions of visitors from around the world and has become an internationally recognized symbol of hope emerging from tragedy. Through its commitment to education and remembrance, the memorial continues to ensure that the story of Oklahoma City and the lessons learned from this tragedy are never forgotten.
The Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum stands not only as a place of remembrance but as a testament to the human spirit's ability to persevere through unimaginable adversity, embodying the "Oklahoma Standard" of service, honor, and kindness that emerged from the tragedy.
For further information, please see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oklahoma_City_National_Memorial
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