RACIAL TERRORISM IN AMERICA
Remembering The Emanuel Nine and Violence against Black People and Churches
Why is Black forgiveness of anti-Black Terrorism a Virtue?
Remembering a tragedy
Yesterday, parishioners gathered at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, SC, to worship, honor fathers on Father’s Day, and mourn a tragic loss.
Nine years ago today, 21-year-old Dylann Roof participated in a bible study at the Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church before opening fire and killing nine Black church parishioners in a hate-motivated attack. Roof intended to start a race war.
Just one week after the killing of the “Emanuel Nine,” worshipers gathered again for Bible study in the same room where the murders took place. Some parishioners even said they forgave Dylann Roof for what he did. While many reporters at that time marveled at and praised the parishioners for their courage and resiliency, as an ordained elder in the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, I was then and remain today acutely aware that for more than 200 years, African American Christians have not only preached love and forgiveness, they have repeatedly demonstrated the compassion, courage, and strength to practice that…
