Disbelief, fear, anger, tears, forgiveness, solidarity, compassion: Charleston’s reaction to the tragedy at Emanuel A.M.E. Church last week has been an emotional and inspirational testament to the humanity found in the Holy City. The Charleston and College of Charleston community is grieving in its own way – using prayer, resolve, pride and whatever else it can to make sense of the assault.
Searching for the words to express the complexity of the experience, many people at the College have turned to the keyboard. And, for these faculty members, the keyboards provided just the outlet they were looking for.
Bret Lott
English professor Bret Lott wrote “This Is My City on the News” for Vanity Fair‘s June 19 online edition. Lott is the author of 14 books, including the bestselling Jewel (1991) and his most recent novel, Dead Low Tide. He has lived in Charleston for 28 years, and his essay expresses an intimacy in the Charleston community that the rest of the world watching the news simply cannot understand.
Jack Bass
Jack Bass, professor emeritus of humanities and social sciences, wrote “Memorial in Charleston” for New Yorker. A journalist and author whose works have focused on Southern politics, race relations and the role of law in shaping the civil rights era, Bass is currently completing his ninth book, titled Justice Abandoned: The Supreme Court’s Central Role in Ending Reconstruction. In his piece, he remembers his conversations with S.C. Senator Clementa Pinckney, one of the victims in the shooting.
Patricia Lessane
Patricia Lessane, director of the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture, wrote “No Sanctuary in Charleston” for The New York Times‘ June 19 print edition. Lessane is a cultural anthropologist focusing on Pan African religious identity, Black feminist theory and representations of black life in popular culture. In her op-ed piece, she urges the community to honor the spirit of the victims, including her friend and the College’s own Cynthia Hurd, and commit to change.
Gibbs Knotts
Jordan Ragusa
Gibbs Knotts, professor and chair of the political science department, and Jordan Ragusa, assistant professor of political science, wrote “Symbolism and Political Violence in the Holy City” for The Huffington Post on June 19. In their article, they acknowledge the complex range of emotions they felt in the wake of the tragedy, and explore the role of political symbols in hate crimes like this.
