This archive report was first published on 18 June 2020.
On June 17, 2015, a devastating shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church left nine people dead, sparking a national conversation about racism and white supremacy. Five years later, the city of Charleston is still grappling with the aftermath of that tragedy.
Joseph P. Riley Jr, the city's mayor for 40 years, including at the time of the shooting, reflected on the event, saying, 'It's an affirmation of the fact that there is in our nation, sadly, still evidence of racism and disrespect.' He described the shooting as 'a most severe example one could imagine of racial hatred.'
However, not everyone sees progress. Willi Glee, a member of Emanuel since the early 1990s, expressed disappointment, stating that he hasn't seen any changes in the past five years that have addressed the issues of white supremacy and racism. He participated in civil rights marches and protests in the 1960s and now feels that the city is 'back to where we were.'
Despite the challenges, the Emanuel Nine Memorial Foundation has made significant progress in raising funds for a memorial to the lives lost in the shooting. The foundation has received donations and pledges of about $7 million toward its $17.5 million goal.
City Councilman Gregorie, however, is optimistic about the city's growth in recognizing systemic racism. He said, 'What has grown out of the tragedy is a closer-knit city, compelled to combat racism and ensure that nothing like this ever happens in our city again.'
Gregorie is particularly hopeful about the commission on equity, inclusion, and racial conciliation, which was formed to carry out the recommendations listed in the formal apology two years ago. The commission aims to work with residents to fight systemic racism, which is ingrained in the city's education system, health care system, and policing system.
