Emanuel 9 Memorial construction continues, fundraising still needed

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Work on the Emanuel 9 Memorial is still underway after construction began last summer, but until more money is raised, the remaining phases of the project cannot continue.

The memorial honors the nine victims and five survivors of the racist mass shooting that took place at a Bible study at the church on June 17, 2015.

The shooting claimed the lives of the church’s pastor, the Rev. Clementa Pinckney, 41, who was also a state senator; Cynthia Graham Hurd, 54; Ethel Lance, 70; the Rev. DePayne Middleton, 49; Tywanza Sanders, 26; the Rev. Daniel Simmons, 74; the Rev. Sharonda Singleton, 45; Myra Thompson, 59; and Susie Jackson, 87.

Ground was broken on the memorial on July 23, 2023. Fundraising for the memorial is currently about 80% of the way done and covers the construction for phase one of the project.

But for the remaining phases to continue, the Mother Emanuel Memorial Foundation says they need another $7 million to help finish the project to properly honor the nine lives lost.

“We’re still fundraising for the completion of the memorial itself, as well as our social justice programs that we will implement when the project is complete,” Mother Emanuel Memorial Foundation Director of Development, Deona Smith, says. “We are still trying to get influencers, celebrities, as well as our everyday heroes in the community to join us in the project.”

The Emanuel 9 Memorial is designed by the same architect who designed the 9/11 Memorial in New York, Michael Arad.

Phase one includes a courtyard with two fellowship benches facing each other and a fountain with the names of the Emanuel 9.

“They’re called fellowship benches, and they are meant to bring people together to have talks, discussions and feel kind of nice in an enclosed space,” the Beach Company Manager of Special Projects, Korey Smith, says.

An example of these benches is now outside of the church for anyone to view with it only being six feet of the 150-foot bench to give an idea of the scale of the project.

“We hope it starts to help people grasp the scale and the complexity of what we’re doing,” Korey adds. “It’s really supposed to be a way for people to get out, see, touch and have a kind of a tactile understanding of what the benches will be.”

If fundraised, phase two of the memorial will include a survivors’ garden, with access by a pathway from the courtyard. It will be surrounded by six stone benches, symbolizing the five survivors, as well as the church.

“I think the memorial is just going to bring everything full circle,” Deona says. “We have gone through our sadness, we have had to fight to overcome the adversities, the challenges of this particular situation; and now to be able to deliver this permanent place, this beautiful structure that will be here for generations to come.”

The Mother Emanuel Memorial Foundation is made up of a diverse number of community members with the hopes of creating a permanent place to honor those killed that day and a place where the community can come together to heal.

“After the tragedy, it was something that just rocked the community where we got people from all over the world coming to the church wanting to leave tributes to the victims,” Deona says.

“We had members of the community who pulled together and said this is something that needs to happen. We need to have a permanent place to honor and remember those who were [slain] that day, but then also a place where the community could come together to heal,” she adds.

Construction for phase one is currently around 15% of the way done with the hopes of it opening by this time next year.

“We’re continuing fundraising mode so that we can hopefully roll out the second and third phases as quickly as we can after this first phase is complete,” Korey says.

“For me, my goal, the 10-year anniversary, will be on June 17 of 2025. I want to have as much of the project on by them as possible,” Korey adds.

To donate or learn more about the memorial, click here.

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