Mourners Outside Emanual AME Church – Source: Joe Raedle / Getty
The Afternoons with Amos PODCAST For Thursday, June 18, 2015. It’s the worst mass shooting in an American church or house of worship in twenty-four years. Not since nine were killed in a Buddhist Temple in Phoenix Arizona. On a special edition of Afternoons with Amos, Indianapolis reacted to the deaths of nine people – six women and three men – inside one of the oldest and most historic African-American churches in the country. Emmanuel AME Church, in downtown Charleston South Carolina, was founded in 1816 by Morris Brown (yes the same one a College is named after) and Denmark Vesey who led an abortive slave rebellion in the state in 1822. Called “Mother Emanual” because of its longevity in the AME Church, this church, the oldest Black church in the South, was a cornerstone of Charleston’s Black community and part of leading the fight and struggle for equal and human rights. Key civil rights leaders from Dr. Martin Luther King, preached in its pulpit.
The Late Rev & Sen. Clementa Pinckney – Source: The State / Getty
Rev. Clementa Pinckney, the church’s current Pastor, a 41-year old who began preaching when he was 13, was Mother Emanual’s spiritual leader, along with being a former South Carolina State Representative and currently a State Senator. Afternoons with Amos heard from a wide spectrum of views from listeners and the community. Anger was a major emotion along with prayer and deep feelings of sympathy for the Emanual Church Family and Charleston for its loss. Beginning with the statement to the American people on the tragedy by President Barack Obama who decried again the use of guns to perpetuate violence. There were calls by listeners for more protection in Black churches. Concern that this was the product, not just of pure evil, but of hatred of Blacks and people of Faith, especially Christians.
Rev. Anne Henning Byfield
The Presiding Elder of Indiana’s North District of AME Churches, the Rev. Anne Henning Byfield appeared on the program with her personal knowledge of the Mother Emanual AME Church, its slain pastor and the historic importance of that church in the Black struggle in America. Also weighing in were the Rev. Joy Thornton of Greater St. Mark Baptist Church; City-County Councilman and Pastor of Messiah Baptist Church Rev. Stephen Clay and Dr. David Hampton, Senior Pastor, Light of the World Church. Former State Representative Bill Crawford spoke eloquently of Rev. and State Senator Clementa Pinckney, the Pastor who lost his life with eight of his members. Crawford talked of Pinckney’s legislative efforts in South Carolina and the respect he had throughout the country among Black legislators.
Source: Police / Dylann Roof, Charleston Shooter
Activist Rev. Muoja Ajabu weighed in on the photo of the accused killer Dylann Storm Roof who was pictured wearing a jacket with the flags of the apartheid governments of South Africa and Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. Ajabu talked about possible links between Roof’s racist views and the situation occurring today in that African nation. You’ll want to hear the views of these religious and civic leaders and the reactions of Indianapolis to this tragedy; something many listeners called terrorism. Here’s where you’ll find the key guests in this Special Afternoons with Amos on the PODCAST Media Player. (4;13 Mark) President Barack Obama’s Statement. (13:01 Mark) Rev. Joy Thornton. (17:41 Mark) Rev. Stephen Clay. (26:41 Mark) Dr. David Hampton. (43:50 Mark) The extended interview and participation of Rev. Anne Henning Byfield. (57:04 Mark) Former Rep. Bill Crawford. (1:02:24 Mark) Rev. Muoja Ajabu. The Afternoons with Amos PODCAST For Thursday, June 18, 2015. Runs 95 Minutes ©2015 WTLC/Radio One. Full PODCAST Starts After Brief Video Ad
