September 11 Digital Archive

"Satan in the Smoke" Emails

Title

"Satan in the Smoke" Emails

Description

On the morning of September 11, immediately after two planes crashed into the World Trade Center in Manhattan, photojournalist Mark D. Phillips took a picture that would prove to be one of the most evocative and disputed images of that tragic day. Many peple later construed the image of the smoke in his photo of the burning buildings to compose the face of Satan. These e-mails related to this picture provide a revealing portal into Americans' responses to the attacks in the immediate aftermath of 9/11.

Items in the "Satan in the Smoke" Emails Collection

Mr. Phillips,Several days after the attack on America, I was looking at one of the endless videos of the burning buildings. At that time, I saw the "face" also. If anyone says that your photograph was "doctored", I can vouch that they are very wrong…

Yeap, it's pretty horrifying, but if you cover the "face", you'll see that behind there's a light picture of the face of God.  He is telling us that no matter how evil people may become, HE IS ALWAYS HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE FOR US...ALL OF US.…

Dear Mark,First, thanks for being on the scene and taking excellent photographs. It was a horrible attack, and the fact that guys (and gals) like you were there to document it is very important. That's what journalism is all about. Second, the…

I looked at the pic of the face in the smoke and never thought nothing differnet than it was a satanic face....but when i glanced again..without the horns..i could see a resemblence to Bin Ladin....wondered if u could see the same? I viewed yours and…

I have a son who is an inmate in a Georgia State Prison.  I would like permission to print your web page picture of the smoke that looks like satan, and, mail it to my son...thanks in advance for your help...tom young...email tyoung@roman.net

Thanks so much Mark,I appreciate your comments. I did try to contact you last week but, it was very problematic. I will call you this evening for a follow-up piece. Understand that I do respect your good work.…

I wanted to respond to seeing your pic. I have shown many people this pic. Although, some think it was if fact doctored. I only want to say that I know that if God wanted us to see something so profound as this, we would. I do beleive that God sends…

Hello,   I have obtained several pictures that correspond to the one posted on your main page.  I included a link to your site with the pictures I have.   Please review it and let me know if you approve it, or would like for me to remove it. (My site…

We first saw your photo in our local news paper the TIMES LEADER out of Wilkes Barre, Pa. Members of my family can see an image of an Angel in the smoke over the World Trade Center. I didn't believe them until the showed me. It is very faint and the…

Dear Mr. Phillips, My secretary has seen a hardcopy of the WTC picture with the demonic face in the smoke. She said the contrast in the hardcopy made the demonic face more easily discerned than in the image on your website. Will you consider making a…

mark i was looking for the face everey one was talking about ,i found it but was wrong about finding yours, what i found was another  face but from a side view check CNN. Com Sept 11 photos

Thanks for your quick response. I am very anxious to receive these beautiful prints and please understand with all the scams around, one has to be careful. I apologize if I offended your reputation. Thanks again. God bless you,Joan Brown-----Original…

I just wanted to say that I know his picture was not altered in any way, nor were the CNN color photos. I saw this "face" in the smoke as it was being broadcast live on CNN. It was so evil-looking; it's an image I'll never forget. ---Michele Hartle

A lot of people are telling me that these photos are false! I want to believe that no one would do something like that. So I'm wanting to know where we can find video coverage of this pic? Thanks for your help!

mark is one of the few journalists who i believe is a very honest person.i am not a believer in such things as this photo, but it is scary. sincerely bea boprey ny

    Not sure if I'm contacting the right place, but didn't know where else to write to.     I'm writing about the picture, taken of the burning World Trade Center tower, that has a image of the devil's face in the smoke. It is a remarkable picture,…

I'm surprised none of the controversy regarding the "face" in the smoke hasn't mentioned that you could see the smoke looking like a face even in the news coverage on CBS 2 (the local NY/NJ station). I escaped WTC building 5, ran home to Jersey City,…

Thank you for this reply.  I will certainly read the article.  I am sure you know by now that your photo is all over the web.  The message board that I mentioned before gets some link or another posted several times a day showing your picture - all…

the fact that mr. phillips is donating just $10 per picture sold (each pix is $20) indicates that he is capitalizing on this tragedy. if you notice only $10 was pledged for donations; there is no disclosure as to where the other $10 would go. hmmm...…

I have just ordered the picture of  the World Trade Center behind the Statue of Liberty (WTC statue - wtc statue).I am interested in getting the same shot showing the World Trade Center either as it is going down or after the collapse, as a contrast…

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