Charleston Community Gathers for Emanuel 9 Prayer Vigil

Charleston Community Commemorates Emanuel 9 at Prayer Vigil

The Charleston, South Carolina community pledged to maintain the memory of the victims of the Mother Emanuel AME Church shooting at a local prayer vigil. An approximately 20-person group congregated outside the church on June 17, 2024, marking the nine-year anniversary of the mass shooting. Participants vowed to continue this tradition every year to ensure the remembrance of the tragically lost lives.

In the horrific event that transpired on June 17, 2015, nine African American churchgoers were brutally murdered during a Bible study session at Mother Emanuel AME Church. The deceased include Reverend Clementa C. Pinckney, Tywanza Sanders, Reverend Sharonda Singleton, Cynthia Graham Hurd, Reverend Depayne Middleton-Doctor, Ethel Lance, Susie Jackson, Myra Thompson, and Reverend Daniel Simmons Sr.

Community United in Remembrance

On the day of the shooting back in 2015, Charleston residents flocked to the church to offer their prayers. Nine years later, a similar scene unfolded. Community members stood shoulder-to-shoulder, heads bowed in prayer, honoring the victims and calling for a world where such an atrocity never happens again.

Amplifying Call for Legal Change

“The people who sat in the South Carolina senate, some who sat with Senator Pinckney, are still opposing the hate crimes bill,” said Thomas Dixon, a local pastor and community advocate. Dixon, who was present at the church during the commemorative vigil, expressed his frustration at the lack of concrete legislative response to the tragedy. He emphasized the urgent need for stronger gun laws and hate crime legislation.

South Carolina is currently one of the only two states that do not have a hate crime law. State Representative Wendell Gilliard assured that efforts to pass the Clementa C. Pinckney Hate Crimes Act would persist in the upcoming legislative session.

Legacy of the Emanuel 9

In the aftermath of the mass shooting, then-Governor Nicki Haley signed a bill to remove the Confederate flag from the South Carolina statehouse, which was viewed as a symbol of racism by many. Surrounding her during the signing were members of the Emanuel Nine’s families. The flag’s removal was also a tribute to the late State Senator Pinckney who had campaigned against its display in 2000. The flag was eventually removed, partially fulfilling senator Pinckney’s years of dedicated efforts.

The Charleston community’s commitment to annual remembrance serves as a testament to the indelible impact of the Emanuel Nine. Though the pain remains, the community vows to remember and honor the lives lost, while pushing for legislative reforms to prevent future atrocities.