Opening Ceremony
November 14, 2026 at 9am
Visit the Emanuel Nine Memorial, a sacred place of remembrance, reflection, and hope in historic Charleston.
Public Ribbon-Cutting CeremonyAbout
A Memorial with a Message for the World
The Emanuel Nine Memorial honors the legacies of the nine lives taken at Mother Emanuel AME Church on June 17, 2015, and the resilience of the survivors. Created for remembrance and meaningful connection, the Memorial invites people of every background to consider the enduring power of empathy, forgiveness, fellowship, and love.
— Come to remember.
— Pause to reflect.
— Carry the message forward.
Our Story
A Story that changed Charleston
On June 17, 2015, nine members of Mother Emanuel AME Church welcomed a visitor into their Wednesday evening Bible study. Their lives were taken in an act of hate, but hate would not have the final word.
In the days that followed, the families offered extraordinary expressions of forgiveness. Survivors demonstrated courage. The congregation remained steadfast. Charleston responded with unity, compassion, and love.
The unimaginable act of hate against the Emanuel Nine, who welcomed a stranger into their Bible study, was met by an overpowering response from their families: hate would not win. The memorial carries that response forward by teaching, practicing, and amplifying the power of love.
Join Our Mission
The message of unyielding love sparked right here in Charleston belongs to the entire world.
While our physical memorial serves as a sacred sanctuary for millions of international visitors, our true mission reaches far beyond our physical walls.
Through our media outreach, digital resources, and online presence, we are actively broadcasting this movement across the globe. We invite you to join us from wherever you are—helping us expand our reach, change hearts, and echo the call to choose love and unlearn hate in every community, everywhere.
