Emanuel AME Church

 Ten years ago, June 17, 2015 black saints gathered for prayer and study at Mother Emanuel AME Church.

They welcomed a stranger.

They opened the Word.

They were murdered in cold blood.

We remember their names:We grieve their loss.

We commit to justice

Rev. Clementa C. Pinckney – senior pastor of Emanuel AME Church and South Carolina state senator

Rev. Sharonda Coleman-Singleton – pastor, speech therapist, and high school track coach

Rev. Daniel L. Simmons Sr. – retired pastor and longtime member of Emanuel AME

Rev. DePayne Middleton-Doctor – minister and admissions coordinator at Southern Wesleyan University

Rev. Myra Thompson – member of the church’s leadership and Bible study teacher that evening

Mrs. Ethel Lance – church sexton, known for her warmth and deep faith

Mrs. Susie Jackson – longtime church member, choir singer, and cousin of Ethel Lance

Mr. Tywanza Sanders – recent college graduate, aspiring entrepreneur, and Susie Jackson’s grandnephew

Mrs. Cynthia Hurd – librarian and public servant with the Charleston County Public Library for over 30 years

We grieve their loss.

We commit to justice.