I offer my heartfelt condolences to the friends and families of those whose lives were senselessly taken at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina on the evening of Wednesday, June 17, 2015. A heartbreaking tragedy shatters more lives than the ones taken and words fail me.
Nine of the church’s parishioners were killed: Honorable Reverend Clementa Pinckney; Reverend Sharonda Coleman-Singleton; Cynthia Graham-Hurd; Reverend Myra Thompson; Reverend Dr. Daniel Lee Simmons, Sr.; Susie Jackson; Ethel Lance; Reverend DePayne Middleton-Doctor; and Tywanza Sanders. Five of them were members of National Pan-Hellenic Council fraternities and sororities.
The Honorable Reverend Clementa Pinckney, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., was a South Carolina state senator and pastor of the Emanuel AME Church. In 1996, at age 23, he was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives. Four years later, he became a South Carolina State Senator representing Jasper, Beaufort, Charleston, Colleton and Hampton counties.
Reverend Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., was the head coach of the girls’ track and field and a speech/ language pathologist at Goose Creek High School.
Cynthia Graham-Hurd, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., spent 31 years working for the Charleston County Public Library system. She served as branch manager of the John L. Dart Branch from 1990-2011 and was currently manager of the St. Andrews Regional Library.
Reverend Myra Thompson, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Reverend Dr. Daniel Lee Simmons, Sr., Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
Emanuel AME Church (from the church’s website)
© Fran Becque, www.fraternityhistory.com, 2015. All Rights Reserved. If you enjoyed this post, please sign up for updates. Also follow me on twitter @GLOHistory and Pinterest www.pinterest.com/glohistory/
