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We Are Charleston: Tragedy and Triumph at Mother Emanuel
On June 17, 2015, at 9:05 p.m., a young man with a handgun opened fire on a prayer meeting at the Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in Charleston, South Carolina, killing nine members of the congregation. The captured shooter, twenty-one-year-old Dylan Roof, a white supremacist, was charged with their murders. Two days after the shooting, while Roof’s court hearing was held on video conference, the families of his nine victims, one by one, appeared on the screen―forgiving the killer. The “Emanuel Nine” set a profound example for their families, their city, their nation, and indeed the world. We Are Charleston not only recounts the events of that terrible day but also offers a history lesson that reveals a deeper look at the suffering, triumph, and even the ongoing rage of the people who formed Mother Emanuel A.M.E. church and the wider denominational movement. In many ways, this church’s story is America’s story―the oldest A.M.E. church in the Deep South fighting for freedom and civil rights but also fighting for grace and understanding. Fighting to transcend bigotry, fraud, hatred, racism, poverty, and misery. The shootings in June 2015, opened up a deep wound of racism that still permeates Southern institutions and remains part of American society. We Are Charleston tells the story of a people, continually beaten down, who seem to continually triumph over the worst of adversity. Exploring the storied history of the A.M.E. Church may be a way of explaining the price and power of forgiveness, a way of revealing God’s mercy in the midst of tremendous pain. We Are Charleston may help us discover what can be right in a world that so often has gone wrong.
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First published June 14, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
April 28, 2021
Powerful. Heartbreaking. A book everyone should read.
January 25, 2024
This powerful yet heart-wrenching work begins with the tragedy of June 17, 2015 when white supremacist Dylan Roof—hoping to instigate a race war—brutally murdered nine members of the Mother Emmanuel AME Church. It goes on to recount the stunning declarations of forgiveness from the victims’ families during the bond hearing, and then goes back to recount the painful history of oppression of Black people in South Carolina. This includes the development of the slave trade, Richard Allen and the founding of the African Methodist Episcopalian (AME) Church, the foiled Denmark Vesey slave revolt in 1822 (he was also a member of Mother Emmanuel), and the struggles against Jim Crow laws and segregation in Charleston—efforts that were often spearheaded by the AME church. Also discussed are the surprising number of female ministers and pastors that came to prominence through the church, and the efforts to finally remove the confederate flag from the state capitol.
As a fitting bookend, the authors provide more detailed biographical information about the victims and their work, and a thoughtful and nuanced examination of the power of forgiveness.
As a fitting bookend, the authors provide more detailed biographical information about the victims and their work, and a thoughtful and nuanced examination of the power of forgiveness.
October 22, 2023
Hate Crimes and Other Forms of Terrorism
We Are Charleston: Tragedy and Triumph at Mother Emanuel is a non-fiction book that tells the story of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, commonly known as Mother Emanuel, and its response to a tragic event. On June 17, 2015, a man entered Mother Emanuel, a historically significant black community church in Charleston, South Carolina, and killed nine African American churchgoers during a Bible study session. The victims included the church's pastor, Reverend Clementa Pinckney. The authors explore the profound impact of this act of violence on the community and the nation as a whole. Published one year later, it delves into the historical context of racial tensions in Charleston specifically and provides background information about the church's founding, and the rich history of the local church as a symbol of African American resistance and resilience.
When we as human beings, consider the terminology used in crime, punishment, and justice; some irony is apparent. If we were to peel away our flags and even our skin... start at the toes perhaps and peel upward to the tops of our scalps... then what would remain would be where racism lives. Racism is inside of us. Discriminations and injustices are assigned from the inside of us to those factors that are on the outside. This is why Dr. King pointed out that we ought rather to judge people by the content of our character. Yet we use different terms to describe crimes committed by people with different flags or skin colors.
Not only could this be considered an act of terrorism, but according to the Federal government rulings, the victims were martyrs. Roof was charged on the federal level with obstruction of religious exercise involving an intent to kill using a weapon, and obstruction of religious exercise resulting in death. This highlights the fact that whether we peeled our skin off or not, none of us are safe to worship if any of us are unsafe in worship; as in any activities of our daily lives. What happened here matters to all of us, regardless of flags or skins.
The authors highlight the remarkable forgiveness and unity demonstrated by the congregation and the families of the victims in the aftermath of the tragedy. They recount the powerful bond created among the survivors. While the book recounts information on the subsequent trial of the shooter, Dylann Roof, the focus is more on the Church and the victims, and their families. The book briefly addresses the underlying issues of racism in America. "We Are Charleston" is a poignant and emotional account that explores themes of faith, forgiveness, resilience, and the power of community. It serves as a tribute to the victims and a testament to the strength and grace of the Charleston community as they came together to heal and seek a more inclusive and just society.
I picked this hardback copy up at the Aiken-Rhett antebellum home gift shop in Charleston recently. I appreciated the fact that the authors placed the event in the proper historical, human, and geographical context. I feel I learned quite a bit and had a number of questions answered in the reading. Also, there is a section of photographs in the center of the book. It is well worth reading.
"Racist attitudes rooted in the dark past have sometimes been preserved in the present."
We Are Charleston: Tragedy and Triumph at Mother Emanuel is a non-fiction book that tells the story of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, commonly known as Mother Emanuel, and its response to a tragic event. On June 17, 2015, a man entered Mother Emanuel, a historically significant black community church in Charleston, South Carolina, and killed nine African American churchgoers during a Bible study session. The victims included the church's pastor, Reverend Clementa Pinckney. The authors explore the profound impact of this act of violence on the community and the nation as a whole. Published one year later, it delves into the historical context of racial tensions in Charleston specifically and provides background information about the church's founding, and the rich history of the local church as a symbol of African American resistance and resilience.
When we as human beings, consider the terminology used in crime, punishment, and justice; some irony is apparent. If we were to peel away our flags and even our skin... start at the toes perhaps and peel upward to the tops of our scalps... then what would remain would be where racism lives. Racism is inside of us. Discriminations and injustices are assigned from the inside of us to those factors that are on the outside. This is why Dr. King pointed out that we ought rather to judge people by the content of our character. Yet we use different terms to describe crimes committed by people with different flags or skin colors.
Not only could this be considered an act of terrorism, but according to the Federal government rulings, the victims were martyrs. Roof was charged on the federal level with obstruction of religious exercise involving an intent to kill using a weapon, and obstruction of religious exercise resulting in death. This highlights the fact that whether we peeled our skin off or not, none of us are safe to worship if any of us are unsafe in worship; as in any activities of our daily lives. What happened here matters to all of us, regardless of flags or skins.
The authors highlight the remarkable forgiveness and unity demonstrated by the congregation and the families of the victims in the aftermath of the tragedy. They recount the powerful bond created among the survivors. While the book recounts information on the subsequent trial of the shooter, Dylann Roof, the focus is more on the Church and the victims, and their families. The book briefly addresses the underlying issues of racism in America. "We Are Charleston" is a poignant and emotional account that explores themes of faith, forgiveness, resilience, and the power of community. It serves as a tribute to the victims and a testament to the strength and grace of the Charleston community as they came together to heal and seek a more inclusive and just society.
I picked this hardback copy up at the Aiken-Rhett antebellum home gift shop in Charleston recently. I appreciated the fact that the authors placed the event in the proper historical, human, and geographical context. I feel I learned quite a bit and had a number of questions answered in the reading. Also, there is a section of photographs in the center of the book. It is well worth reading.
January 15, 2017
A good accounting of this awful tragedy. Great history research. Proud to be A.M.E.!
August 4, 2017
writing about the event including background not the bomber.
I enjoyed the history lesson about Charleston much of which I did not know.
the book weaves from one topic to the other with smooth transition.
great writing did not loose interest.
I enjoyed the history lesson about Charleston much of which I did not know.
the book weaves from one topic to the other with smooth transition.
great writing did not loose interest.
May 16, 2021
This book is CV padding. It’s a history of Charleston, rather than a book about the Mother Emanuel shooting as it billed itself. Inadequate attention is given to the victims or Dylan Roof to qualify as a book about the shooting. Mother Emanuel is linked to events in Charleston’s history, but at times the only obvious link provided by the authors was the proximity of the church building to something that happened. Charleston is a very compact city. By the proximity rule, any building could be part of the story.
When Dylan Roof was mentioned, the connections were purely speculation. Details of some of the victims’ lives were largely straight from the newspaper, which makes me wonder if the authors even attempted to interview their family members.
The writing itself was mediocre. The story had very little flow. Details were repeated within the span of a few paragraphs. Editorial review was obviously lacking. The entire book felt like a series of asides.
When Dylan Roof was mentioned, the connections were purely speculation. Details of some of the victims’ lives were largely straight from the newspaper, which makes me wonder if the authors even attempted to interview their family members.
The writing itself was mediocre. The story had very little flow. Details were repeated within the span of a few paragraphs. Editorial review was obviously lacking. The entire book felt like a series of asides.
July 30, 2016
This is an incredibly important book, but it is a very difficult book to read because of the devastating event it depicts. The book discusses the day of the Mother Emanuel shooting, before delving into the City of Charleston’s past. The chapter that describes each of the nine victims is especially heartbreaking to read, given the vivid depictions of their lives that were ended so violently. Towards the end of the book there’s a chapter on the nature of forgiveness, and the different ways each of the nine victims’ families, the City of Charleston, and the state of South Carolina responded to this unimaginable tragedy.
April 22, 2023
This is one of those books that has sat on my shelf for some time because I was worried about the subject matter being too grim. I have a very strong memory of this particular event, of President Obama's speech and singing at the funeral of the pastor, and of the way it ripped the scab of the oozing wound that is racism in America. My dear friend at that time was dating the daughter of an AME pastor and this obviously hit them both pretty hard. Since that day almost 8 years ago, the problematic politicization of race in America has reached a fever-pitch and mass shootings are a daily occurrence, to the point where I have only vague notions of where the last dozen of them occurred and they are not seared in my mind the way Charleston and Sandy Hook and Las Vegas are. I found it striking that President Obama's speech cited 3 touchstones of racism involved in the tragedy and in our larger body politic -- and these are 3 of the biggest areas of ongoing political battles in our country right now: voting rights, gun violence, and poor police practices. It makes me worry more than a little that those problems have only seemed to get worse since then and not better.
Anyone reading this book should be aware from the outset that it is published by a Christian publisher, so there is some solid Jesus content in here. I don't find it to be too much, given that this tragedy took place during a Bible study class, which makes religion a key touchpoint here. But I did have a bit of trouble with a historical reference to the founder of the AME denomination as recognizing his "spiritual depravity" before conversion. I was fascinated to see the ties between Charleston and Mother Emanuel and so many of the historic moments involving race in this country. The Citadel college was originally created to give whites a place to train after a failed attempt at a slave uprising planned by members of the congregation. The involvement of Charleston as a part of the Brown v Board of Education suit. The strikes and sit-ins organized in Charleston. And of particular interest to me, discussion of the Charleston Area Justice Ministry (CAJM), an organization that has interested me since it was discussed on the Instagram postings of Doug Hickok, a gifted Charleston-based photographer and participant in this movement whom I learned about through one of my Goodreads/BookCrossing friends.
I particularly enjoyed the way the authors were able to interweave American history with the story of the tragic racial murder, explaining the roots of Charleston as a slave capital, the birth of the AME church among slaves and former slaves, and the history of the fight for social justice as part of the mission of the church. I enjoyed the discussion of the Revolutionary War in the US as juxtaposed to slavery, which reminded me of the first exhibit at the African American History and Culture Museum highlighting the number of the US Founding Fathers who owned other human beings. For instance, I have always heard of Patrick Henry's declaration "give me liberty or give me death!" but I didn't know that the speech also included a discussion of the British government as putting him and other white wealthy colonists in "chains and slavery." I appreciated the observation that the slaves of the revolutionary movers and shakers were not impressed with the expressed fears of being slaves to the British "They wondered how slave owners could decry schemes to "enslave" them, while holding human beings as prperty."
The lives of the Emanuel Nine and of many others closely connected to them as discussed in this book are sources of inspiration. I wish that I could have learned their stories some other way than in a memorial to their murder. I wish that we could find a way to reach across the divide that seems to grow every day and find common ground to keep these tragedies from being on a constant loop in our present day. This book gave me much to think about.
Anyone reading this book should be aware from the outset that it is published by a Christian publisher, so there is some solid Jesus content in here. I don't find it to be too much, given that this tragedy took place during a Bible study class, which makes religion a key touchpoint here. But I did have a bit of trouble with a historical reference to the founder of the AME denomination as recognizing his "spiritual depravity" before conversion. I was fascinated to see the ties between Charleston and Mother Emanuel and so many of the historic moments involving race in this country. The Citadel college was originally created to give whites a place to train after a failed attempt at a slave uprising planned by members of the congregation. The involvement of Charleston as a part of the Brown v Board of Education suit. The strikes and sit-ins organized in Charleston. And of particular interest to me, discussion of the Charleston Area Justice Ministry (CAJM), an organization that has interested me since it was discussed on the Instagram postings of Doug Hickok, a gifted Charleston-based photographer and participant in this movement whom I learned about through one of my Goodreads/BookCrossing friends.
I particularly enjoyed the way the authors were able to interweave American history with the story of the tragic racial murder, explaining the roots of Charleston as a slave capital, the birth of the AME church among slaves and former slaves, and the history of the fight for social justice as part of the mission of the church. I enjoyed the discussion of the Revolutionary War in the US as juxtaposed to slavery, which reminded me of the first exhibit at the African American History and Culture Museum highlighting the number of the US Founding Fathers who owned other human beings. For instance, I have always heard of Patrick Henry's declaration "give me liberty or give me death!" but I didn't know that the speech also included a discussion of the British government as putting him and other white wealthy colonists in "chains and slavery." I appreciated the observation that the slaves of the revolutionary movers and shakers were not impressed with the expressed fears of being slaves to the British "They wondered how slave owners could decry schemes to "enslave" them, while holding human beings as prperty."
The lives of the Emanuel Nine and of many others closely connected to them as discussed in this book are sources of inspiration. I wish that I could have learned their stories some other way than in a memorial to their murder. I wish that we could find a way to reach across the divide that seems to grow every day and find common ground to keep these tragedies from being on a constant loop in our present day. This book gave me much to think about.
February 13, 2020
On June 17, 2015, Dylann Roof shot and killed 9 members of the Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston, SC, and injured five others. It appears that he was a white supremacist and that he was hoping to provoke a race war with his actions. This shooting was just one of a series of incidents that were pulling back the veil that masked the deeply buried strains of racism in America, going back to the shooting of Trayvon Martin in Florida in 2012, and includin (among others) the shooting of Michael Brown in Furgeson, MO in 2014, and the death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore just weeks earlier. At the time, the response of Charleston, and South Carolina more broadly, seemed to suggest that we were turning a corner, facing the realities of racism, and that we might actually make progress towards healing these very old, very deep wounds in the fabric of our society.
Alas, it was not to be. The rhetoric of the current administration has acted as a dog whistle to those who harbor racist beliefs, emboldening them to act on their views. The death toll continues to climb, with no end in sight.
This book, which begins with a review of the shooting and a profile of victims, is also a careful analysis of the history of race relations in Charleston and the role that Emmanuel AME Church had in that history. It is a poignant reminder of just how much of this history is overlooked, swept under the rug, or just plain ignored by those who find it uncomfortable. But, as the authors point out, we will never truly heal the wounds of racism until we honestly confront this ugly history.
This book is actually a terrific memorial to those who died that evening in Charleston, preserving and promoting the values and beliefs that they embraced in life, and honoring their lives by placing their tragic deaths into the historical context of racism and hatred. While there are some places where it was a bit too "preachy" for my tastes, I still would recommend this book for anyone who wants to better understand the historical roots of racism, and how it continues to work in America today in ways both overt and subtle.
Alas, it was not to be. The rhetoric of the current administration has acted as a dog whistle to those who harbor racist beliefs, emboldening them to act on their views. The death toll continues to climb, with no end in sight.
This book, which begins with a review of the shooting and a profile of victims, is also a careful analysis of the history of race relations in Charleston and the role that Emmanuel AME Church had in that history. It is a poignant reminder of just how much of this history is overlooked, swept under the rug, or just plain ignored by those who find it uncomfortable. But, as the authors point out, we will never truly heal the wounds of racism until we honestly confront this ugly history.
This book is actually a terrific memorial to those who died that evening in Charleston, preserving and promoting the values and beliefs that they embraced in life, and honoring their lives by placing their tragic deaths into the historical context of racism and hatred. While there are some places where it was a bit too "preachy" for my tastes, I still would recommend this book for anyone who wants to better understand the historical roots of racism, and how it continues to work in America today in ways both overt and subtle.
March 12, 2019
It was such a shocking day, June 17, 2015, when Dylan Roof drove to Charleston to Mother Emanuel. It was sickening to learn of his crime ~ these wonderful church members had welcomed him into their church with no question. This was how he chose to repay their kindness.
As most of us were in Charleston, I was transfixed to the TV news and the Post & Courier as more details and information about Roof's crime and capture continued to come to light. I was in awe of the families of the victims as they offered forgiveness. I cannot say I would have been able to do the same in their place.
I know much about June 17 to now, but I knew little of the important place in history that Mother Emanuel holds in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. As if the murders of these innocent victims wasn't horrifying enough, once you get a look behind the curtain at the significance of this particular AME church in this particular city, your heart will bleed for the families...the congregation...the whole community.
Often, it is only by understanding the history that we can understand the present. This is surely true of the tragedy at Mother Emanuel.
As most of us were in Charleston, I was transfixed to the TV news and the Post & Courier as more details and information about Roof's crime and capture continued to come to light. I was in awe of the families of the victims as they offered forgiveness. I cannot say I would have been able to do the same in their place.
I know much about June 17 to now, but I knew little of the important place in history that Mother Emanuel holds in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. As if the murders of these innocent victims wasn't horrifying enough, once you get a look behind the curtain at the significance of this particular AME church in this particular city, your heart will bleed for the families...the congregation...the whole community.
Often, it is only by understanding the history that we can understand the present. This is surely true of the tragedy at Mother Emanuel.
September 6, 2020
I am a political history educator so for me this book in many way was a refresher of grad courses which I used to enrich my teaching of United States History in both my High School and College Classes. Having retired in 2012, my brain went into I taught that, yes, that too, yes.... good. And the learning of the history of Charleston kicked in... the connection of the AME Mother Emanuel Church turned on lightbulbs.. of Denmark Vesey and what he wanted to achieve in the early 1830s. How it resonants in 2020. Is what the Dockworkers during WW2 wanted in terms of fair and equal wages regardless of race or gender really different than what is wanted in 2020? And education? Why are we still fighting these same battles over and over again?
If I was in a classroom, I would put this book on a must read list. The families who went to the Courthouse to offer forgiveness are heroes. The stories of their loved ones... are of people I wish I had known. Going about their every day lives, making a quiet difference....
If I was in a classroom, I would put this book on a must read list. The families who went to the Courthouse to offer forgiveness are heroes. The stories of their loved ones... are of people I wish I had known. Going about their every day lives, making a quiet difference....
March 10, 2025
Quite coincidentally I found this book in a Little Free Library less than a week before I was due to leave for Charleston. The book was written after the 2015 shooting at Mother Emanuel AME church in Charleston, leaving nine dead and others wounded. While the author writes about the immediate lead-up to the shooting, the rampage in the room where a Bible study has happening, and the follow-up in the days and weeks afterwards, it also looks back to the history of the city, the role of churches and clergy in the Black community, and the shameful place of the enslavement of men, women and children to the benefit of the planter class. Many other aspects of Charleston's history were covered in this book, and provided context for me when I walked the streets of the city, toured museums, the old slave market, plantations.
July 19, 2023
This book was sad and very educational. To understand what happened at Mother Emanuel on June 17th that night in 2015, you need to go back much further. America will forever be stained with the evil of slavery. Charleston, which tourists come from all over the world to see, is deep in this history. Everywhere you look, you can see the marks of racism and ongoing white supremacy. This book goes into that history. It also discusses the origin of the AME Church, as well as the lives of the Emanuel 9. If this book has not already been banned, it will be. Read it. Ask yourself, what will you do in your antiracism journey?
August 5, 2022
4.5 stars. A moving and thorough accounting of the shooting at Mother Emmanuel in Charleston. The book provides history of faith and the AME church during before and after the civil war. It also provides a wholistic view of the church members killed on that horrific day. Another good read for those trying to become an ally.
August 18, 2017
If anyone wishes to gain further insight into current and past race relations in this country, this is an excellent choice to read. My heart is heavy with grief for the members of this community and their strength and faith are a source of inspiration. Thanks to the authors for sharing this story.
March 23, 2017
This is an excellent book about race relations in the South. It focuses on the Mother Emmanuel AME massacre of 9 parishioners at Bible Study. Great historical background and interesting writing from all 3 authors. I attended a presentation by the authors and it was informative and enlightening
August 19, 2017
Tells the history of African Americans in Charleston and about the families and the victims at Mother Emanuel AME. It speaks of forgiveness and the role God played in their lives.
October 4, 2017
Emotionally moving intersection of religion and history of African Methodist Episcopal church
Read
November 14, 2020Reads like a history book. About the church shooting in Charleston. Decent information.
June 22, 2023
Outstanding summary of the healing from such a tragedy, history of the church, and strength the families of the victims and survivors have.
October 19, 2023
The first chapter made the hair on my arms stand up. What a senseless act of murder.
July 7, 2016
A brief history of racism and civil rights activism in South Carolina, framed by the murder of the Emanuel 9.
A year ago, America was stunned when Dylann Roof walked into a church and murdered nine people attending Bible study. This was, however, no isolated incident. Since its inception Charleston has been a hotbed of slavery and racial oppression. It's also been the cradle of the AME church and the scene of some of the South's greatest civil rights movements. Beginning with the night of the Mother Emanuel shootings, then jumping backward and forwards in time, Frazier and his co-authors tell the story of a long-suffering community that cannot be kept down, no matter how hard some try.
The first three chapters are set in the present, dealing with the events of the murders and what unfolded in the days immediately after, including the calls to remove the Confederate flag from the South Carolina state house. Chapters four through ten give micro-histories of key events in the struggle for racial justice, from the colonial through the civil rights eras. In chapter eleven we learn more about the murdered church members, and the contributions they made not only to their church, but to their families and community. Chapter twelve is about forgiveness, and how the families have graciously extended it to the killer; it also probes the nature of forgiveness, ultimately upholding it as the best choice a person can make for their own peace of mind. The final chapter discusses concrete actions and steps that have been taken in the wake of the tragedy to make Charleston a more racially just community.
It's kind of incredible how a book loaded with so much sorrow can be written in such a tone of hope and uplift. Readers will learn not only history here, but also about spirit, that powerful force within people that keeps them fighting even when the fight drags on for centuries. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to further educate themselves on the history of race relations in America, or mentally equip themselves for more productive social media / family dinner conversations. Recommended for all public libraries.
A year ago, America was stunned when Dylann Roof walked into a church and murdered nine people attending Bible study. This was, however, no isolated incident. Since its inception Charleston has been a hotbed of slavery and racial oppression. It's also been the cradle of the AME church and the scene of some of the South's greatest civil rights movements. Beginning with the night of the Mother Emanuel shootings, then jumping backward and forwards in time, Frazier and his co-authors tell the story of a long-suffering community that cannot be kept down, no matter how hard some try.
The first three chapters are set in the present, dealing with the events of the murders and what unfolded in the days immediately after, including the calls to remove the Confederate flag from the South Carolina state house. Chapters four through ten give micro-histories of key events in the struggle for racial justice, from the colonial through the civil rights eras. In chapter eleven we learn more about the murdered church members, and the contributions they made not only to their church, but to their families and community. Chapter twelve is about forgiveness, and how the families have graciously extended it to the killer; it also probes the nature of forgiveness, ultimately upholding it as the best choice a person can make for their own peace of mind. The final chapter discusses concrete actions and steps that have been taken in the wake of the tragedy to make Charleston a more racially just community.
It's kind of incredible how a book loaded with so much sorrow can be written in such a tone of hope and uplift. Readers will learn not only history here, but also about spirit, that powerful force within people that keeps them fighting even when the fight drags on for centuries. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to further educate themselves on the history of race relations in America, or mentally equip themselves for more productive social media / family dinner conversations. Recommended for all public libraries.
June 26, 2016
I have lived in Charleston for 14+ years and the night June 17th, 2015 changed this city forever. Things like that don't happen in this town.
This book is a recount of what happened that night, but also a history lesson of AME churches in the US. The book talked about each person that perished that night as well as their family members and the five survivors of that night.
I thought the authors did a wonderful job of respecting not only the church, but each person that passed.
I thought it was a great book up to the point where they talked about Senator Pinkney's wife. They talked to Charleston Psychiatrist who SPECULATED on what she is "probably" going through. Survivors guilt, PTSD and anger. How dare you assume what this woman is going through. A Psychiatrist, a medical doctor that has never met with Mrs. Pinkney speculating on what she is going through. You have no idea what that woman thinks or feels every waking moment. I think it is extremely irresponsible of the authors to use the opinion of a doctor none the less, that yes, has the training, but has never met this woman. I was completely appalled that a book to honor the victims and our city would stoop to such "trashy news" levels. It was only Mrs. Pinkney the authors used a Psychiatrist to "diagnose". Shame on you all.
This book is a recount of what happened that night, but also a history lesson of AME churches in the US. The book talked about each person that perished that night as well as their family members and the five survivors of that night.
I thought the authors did a wonderful job of respecting not only the church, but each person that passed.
I thought it was a great book up to the point where they talked about Senator Pinkney's wife. They talked to Charleston Psychiatrist who SPECULATED on what she is "probably" going through. Survivors guilt, PTSD and anger. How dare you assume what this woman is going through. A Psychiatrist, a medical doctor that has never met with Mrs. Pinkney speculating on what she is going through. You have no idea what that woman thinks or feels every waking moment. I think it is extremely irresponsible of the authors to use the opinion of a doctor none the less, that yes, has the training, but has never met this woman. I was completely appalled that a book to honor the victims and our city would stoop to such "trashy news" levels. It was only Mrs. Pinkney the authors used a Psychiatrist to "diagnose". Shame on you all.
August 7, 2016
In this book the authors Herb Frazier,Dr Bernard Powers Jr and Marjory Wentworth consider the rage of the white supremacist Dylan Roof as a way not only to explain Charleston but of the nation the night of June 17 2015. This book explores the boundless gift of grace and forgiveness the family members have demonstrated from the spiritual philosophy of the church. The people lived the word of the gospel and the spirit of their forgiveness was in keeping with those whose lives were built on the Christ's teachings . They practiced what they preached and they serve as a model to what is possible. An inspiring book!!!!
July 23, 2016
The 2 stars reflect on the hastily job of WAC, not on the tragedy. In an interview, one of the authors said that it took them about 6 months to write WAC—and it reads as such: click & clack, cut & paste, and wham-bam.
good luck
good luck
May 25, 2018
Not a book about Dylann Roof, a book that covers the African American/Black experience through the history of faith and its strength in individuals and groups.
April 25, 2017
I'm disappointed. The book's premise is the discussion of the heinous act that took the precious lives of the church members at Emanuel AME Church. However, the author used the opportunity to detail Black history and the sin of slavery. The Author also makes assumptions that Dylann Roof had knowledge or exposure to this history. For example he writes, "Over time these attitudes have persisted, shaping the perception of people of African descent in modern-day America - AND MAY HAVE BEEN AMONG THE RACIAL FACTORS THAT DISTORTED Dylann Roof's perception of black people in the U.S. and the church at Emanuel." Prior to that statement the Author speaks about a law enacted in 1661 in Virginia that increased the time of service for those found in the company of fugitive slaves. (See chapter four). Needless to say, it's a stretch to assume young Roof had any knowledge of African-American history. If he had, it would have made more sense to include facts that Roof used that information to persuade his conscience to enact evil.
Overall, the book is well written, informative, and thoroughly researched. However, it does not delve into the life of the murderer or the history of the people who died that day.
Overall, the book is well written, informative, and thoroughly researched. However, it does not delve into the life of the murderer or the history of the people who died that day.
May 30, 2019
A church biography
In telling the stories of the nine slain and five survivors at Mother Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston, the authors introduce us to the full history of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. We also see the racial history of Charleston from slavery to today. I feel like I learned so much. I feel privileged to have met Rev. Pinckney and the other members of Mother Emmanuel. I wish for the survivors to find healing and grace.
In telling the stories of the nine slain and five survivors at Mother Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston, the authors introduce us to the full history of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. We also see the racial history of Charleston from slavery to today. I feel like I learned so much. I feel privileged to have met Rev. Pinckney and the other members of Mother Emmanuel. I wish for the survivors to find healing and grace.
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