Charleston City Council takes step toward day of honor for Emanuel AME victims, church

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — Charleston City Council gave preliminary approval Tuesday night to a day of honor for each the victims and survivors of the Emanuel AME shooting and the church itself.

William Dudley Gregorie, a councilman and trustee for Mother Emanuel Church, proposed the resolution.

“I’m introducing legislation today, where we will be designating a day for each victim, and a day for survivors, and for Mother Emanuel church,” Gregorie said.

Council passed first reading but Gregorie said some details still need to be ironed out.

Gregorie said it will help the community heal.

“It brings us back together after a tragedy that shook the world,” Gregorie said. “It’s very important as a city and a congregation to show we are survivors and we are together. We’re even stronger now than ever as a city and a congregation.”

Louise Rainis lives at the Gishop Gadsden retirement community, where Mayor John Tecklenburg hosted Tuesday’s Charleston City Council meeting.

She said she was excited about the plan.

“It was so traumatic and such a shock, and to be able to honor it as a positive is something that makes me proud to be a part of Charleston,” she said. “Love and forgiveness has been a fabulous response. Even though it was a tragedy we turned it into a positive.”