Thirty years after the deadliest homegrown terrorist attack in US history, former President Bill Clinton is set to return to Oklahoma City on Saturday to honor the victims of the 1995 bombing and offer support to survivors and families.
Clinton, who was serving as president on April 19, 1995, when a truck bomb destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, will deliver the keynote address at a remembrance ceremony organized near the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum. The blast claimed 168 lives, including 19 children, and left hundreds more injured.
Now 78, Clinton is remembered for his empathetic response to the tragedy, which helped guide the nation through a period of intense mourning and shock.
“The nation’s eyes were there. The nation’s heart was broken there,” Clinton said in a recent video message posted to the Clinton Foundation’s website. “I was privately praying that I would find the right words, the right tone, the right rhythm to somehow get into the mind and heart of as many Americans as possible.”
The ceremony, originally scheduled to be held outdoors at the memorial, has been moved indoors to a nearby church due to expected inclement weather. It will begin at 8:30 a.m.
Clinton has made several visits to the memorial over the years and has spoken on key anniversaries of the bombing, reflecting on its enduring emotional impact and the resilience shown by the Oklahoma City community.
Kari Watkins, president and CEO of the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum, said one of the memorial’s core goals is to educate younger generations about the consequences of political violence and the power of unity in the face of tragedy.
“We knew when we built this place we would some day reach a generation of people who weren’t born or who didn’t remember the story,” Watkins said. “I think now, not just kids are coming through more and more, but teachers who are teaching those kids.”
The bombing remains a turning point in American history, one that reshaped domestic security efforts and became a symbol of both loss and resilience.
This year’s commemoration aims not only to honor those who died but also to reinforce a message of peace and remembrance for future generations.
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