“10th Anniversary: Charleston Church Massacre Memories Haunt Survivors”

As the world struggles to eliminate the plague of racism, today we look back on one of the most horrific acts of racial hatred our society has witnessed in recent times. Emanating from the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina – a place supposedly of peace, love, and unity, the event reminds us of the frightening depths of hatred: the Charleston massacre of June 17, 2015.

The unblinking perpetrator, Dylann Roof, posed as a friendly face only to announce his actual intent in the most heartrending manner possible. Nine Black lives – Rev. Clementa Pinckney, Rev. Sharonda Coleman Singleton, Cynthia Hurd, Susie Jackson, Ethel Lance, Rev. DePayne Middleton, Tywanza Sanders, Rev. Daniel Simmons Sr., and Myra Thompson – were extinguished in cruel broad strokes as he sought to ignite a race war.

Despite a decade gone by, the emotional wounds of the victims’ kin still run fresh. Rev. Pinckney’s wife and daughter, Jennifer and Malana Pinckney respectively, spoke candidly about their struggle. With milestones aplenty in the family, the absence of a loving father was palpable. Gracefully handling the nightmarish episode at a tender age, Malana reflects, “It is so hard to go through your life and not just let this tear me down for the rest of my life. I have so much that I have to live for, for my mom and for my dad.”

Felicia Sanders, who lost her son and her aunt in the gruesome incident, chillingly admits that she feels just as imprisoned by grief as Roof is imprisoned for the murders he committed.

Amongst the survivors, Polly Sheppard, who was spared by Roof, recounts the harrowing moment that she came face-to-muzzle with the perpetrator, believing she was on the brink of being shot down. She recalls, “He came back by me and said, ‘I’m 21 and my life is over.’ He clicked the gun two times, but it jammed or something.”

As stories from that calamitous day are relived, it is evident that the trauma persists, the pain endures, and the gaping void left by the lost lives remains unfilled. Today, as we mark the 10th anniversary of this horrific event, we extend our deepest sympathies towards the survivors and the successors of the victims.

As the world grapples with racial prejudices and societal divides, it is paramount for us to remember and learn from incidents such as this. To all those still trying to mend their broken hearts, remember, you are not alone. Your journey for justice, your quest for a better world, is ours too. And together, we stand. Today and every day.

The post 10 Years Later: Charleston Church Shooting Survivors Remember Murdered Family Members.