Public relations and the American Red Cross: Surviving the attack on America, September 11, 2001

The purpose of this study is to specifically look at the day of September 11, 2001 through the eyes of the southern chapter Public Information Officers of the American Red Cross as they responded, using public relations, to the tragic events as they unfolded before this nation as well as the world. An additional purpose of this study is to examine how the organization responded, through the use of public relations, to the negative publicity of the September 11th Liberty Fund. As professionals in the field of public relations, we must continue to learn from each situation, supporting both the educational and research aspect of the field of public relations.; In summary, the goal of this research is to gain significant knowledge of the actions and perceptions of the Public Information Officers of the American Red Cross during and after the events of September 11, 2001, particularly in reference to public relations and crisis management. In addition, to gain specific knowledge in the area of public relations when combating negative information toward an international non-profit organization. The overall goal is to learn from this tragedy in order to prepare for public relations crisis events in the future.