Clementa C. Pinckney facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Clementa C. Pinckney
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| Member of the South Carolina Senate from the 45th district |
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| In office January 2001 – June 17, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | McKinley Washington Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Margie Bright Matthews |
| Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from the 122nd district |
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| In office January 1997 – January 2001 |
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| Preceded by | Juanita Mitchell White |
| Succeeded by | Thayer Rivers |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Clementa Carlos Pinckney
July 30, 1973 Beaufort, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | June 17, 2015 (aged 41) Charleston, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Killed in a hate crime |
| Resting place | Saint James Cemetery Marion, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Jennifer Benjamin |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Allen University (BA) University of South Carolina (MPA) Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary (M.Div.) Wesley Theological Seminary |
| Religion | Christian |
| Church | Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church |
| Religious career | |
| Post | Senior pastor (2010–2015) |
Clementa Carlos "Clem" Pinckney (born July 30, 1973 – died June 17, 2015) was an American politician and a pastor. He was a member of the Democratic Party. Pinckney served in the South Carolina Senate from 2000 until his death in 2015. Before that, he was a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1997 to 2000.
Pinckney was born in Beaufort, South Carolina, and was one of seven children. He started preaching at his church when he was just thirteen years old. By age eighteen, he became a pastor. He went to several universities, including Allen University and the University of South Carolina. He also studied at the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary and the Wesley Theological Seminary.
In 1996, Pinckney made history. At 23, he became the youngest African-American man elected to the South Carolina General Assembly. As a senator, Pinckney worked hard for civil rights. He strongly supported the use of body cameras for police officers. This was after the death of Walter Scott. Pinckney also tried to pass a bill to display the Pan-African flag at the South Carolina State House.
Pinckney was also the senior pastor at Mother Emanuel A.M.E. in Charleston. In 2015, he was killed in a racially motivated attack during a Bible study at his church. President Barack Obama gave the speech at Pinckney's funeral. He even sang "Amazing Grace" at the service.
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Early Life and Education
Clementa Carlos Pinckney was born on July 30, 1973, in Beaufort, South Carolina. His mother, Theopia Stevenson Aikens, was an early childhood educator. His father, John Pinckney, was an auto mechanic. Clementa had at least six brothers and sisters. He began preaching at his church when he was 13. By the age of 18, he was appointed as a pastor.
Pinckney's mother's family, the Stevensons, had many pastors in the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AMEC). His great-grandfather, Reverend Lorenzo Stevenson, fought for equal rights. He sued the state's Democratic Party to end unfair primary elections. During the Civil Rights Movement, Pinckney's uncle, Reverend Levern Stevenson, worked with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He helped desegregate school buses. He also sued the South Carolina Governor to help elect more Black people to the South Carolina General Assembly.
Pinckney attended Jasper County High School. He was elected class president for two years there. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Allen University in 1995. He then received a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of South Carolina in 1999. Later, he earned a Master of Divinity degree from Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary. At the time of his death, Pinckney was studying for a Doctor of Ministry degree at Wesley Theological Seminary.
Career and Public Service
Religious Leadership
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Pinckney preached in several South Carolina cities. These included Beaufort, Charleston, and Columbia. In 2010, he became the pastor of Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, South Carolina. As part of his work, Pinckney looked after 17 churches in the area.
At Mother Emanuel, Pinckney followed in the footsteps of other important church leaders. He continued a tradition of religious leaders also serving in politics. He focused on activism to help his community. Pinckney believed that serving his community in politics went hand-in-hand with his ministry work. Historian Henry Louis Gates Jr. featured Pinckney in interviews for his PBS series The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross.
In 2015, Pinckney was one of several South Carolina pastors who held rallies. These rallies were held after the shooting of Walter Scott. This event caused some discussion in the local community.
Legislative Work
Pinckney was first elected to the South Carolina General Assembly in 1996. He was only 23 years old. This made him the youngest African American elected as a state legislator in South Carolina. He served in the South Carolina House of Representatives until 2000. Then, he was elected to the South Carolina Senate. Pinckney was a Democrat. He was also a member of the South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus.
Pinckney represented several counties in South Carolina. These included Allendale, Beaufort, Charleston, Colleton, Hampton, and Jasper Counties. When he passed away, he was on several important committees. These included Banking and Insurance, Corrections and Penology, Education, Finance, and Medical Affairs.
Push for Body Cameras
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As a state senator, Pinckney strongly supported laws for police officers to wear body cameras. This push came after Walter Scott, an unarmed Black man, was shot by a police officer in North Charleston. In April 2015, Pinckney gave a powerful speech about this in the South Carolina Senate. He pointed out that national news came to North Charleston because of a video of the incident.
Pan-African Flag Proposal
In 2001, Pinckney worked with Senator Maggie Wallace Glover to propose a bill. This bill suggested that the Pan-African flag be displayed at the South Carolina State House. The plan was for the South Carolina Senate Judiciary Committee to hang the flag.
Tragic Death and Funeral
On the evening of June 17, 2015, Pinckney was killed in the Charleston church shooting. Earlier that day, he had been campaigning with presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. That evening, he was leading a Bible study and prayer session at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. This is where he was the senior pastor. The shooter, Dylann Roof, specifically asked for Pinckney. He then opened fire on the group, killing Pinckney and eight other people. The FBI investigated the shooting as a hate crime. Many people also called the attack a racially motivated act of terrorism.
On June 24, 2015, Pinckney's casket was publicly viewed. It was in the rotunda lobby of the State Capitol Senate Chamber. This is where Pinckney had served in the South Carolina legislature. Public viewings were also held at St. John AME Church in Ridgeland. Another viewing was at Mother Emanuel in Charleston.
A funeral was held on June 26, 2015, at the College of Charleston in TD Arena. The arena was completely full. An extra viewing center with a video feed was set up at the Charleston Museum. President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and Jill Biden attended the funeral. Many other politicians and public figures were also there. President Obama gave the eulogy. During his speech, Obama sang the first part of "Amazing Grace".
Aftermath and Legacy
As a result of the shooting, the South Carolina Legislature took action in July 2015. They passed a law to take down the Confederate flag. This flag had been flying in front of the South Carolina State House. It was moved to the Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum. The shooter had previously posted pictures of a similar flag on his website. Pinckney's wife attended the final vote. She thanked her husband's colleagues for their support.
In June 2015, Pinckney's family started the Clementa C. Pinckney Foundation. This foundation helps families in need in the South Carolina Lowcountry region. His wife, Jennifer Pinckney, Senator Gerald Malloy, and Reverend Kylon Jerome Middleton started the foundation. It supports education, health, pastoral training, and charity work.
In July 2015, Mother Emanuel Church received over $3 million in donations. In response, they created The Reverend Pinckney Scholarship Fund. This fund helps church members, victims of the shooting, and their families with education.
In August 2015, the Charleston County School District decided to name a new middle school after Pinckney. It is called Simmons-Pinckney Middle School. It honors both Pinckney and blacksmith Philip Simmons.
On August 8, 2019, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America recognized Clementa C. Pinckney and the Emanuel 9 as martyrs. They declared June 17 as "a day of repentance in the ELCA for the martyrdom of the Emanuel 9." Pinckney was a graduate of Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, which is part of the ELCA.
Personal Life
In 1999, Pinckney married Jennifer Benjamin in Augusta, Georgia. They met when he was at Allen University and she was at the University of South Carolina. The couple lived in Ridgeland, South Carolina. They had two daughters, Eliana Yvette Pinckney and Malana Elise Pinckney. Pinckney was a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. He was named after the baseball player Roberto Clemente of the Pittsburgh Pirates. His mother loved baseball. During his funeral, many friends and family pronounced his first name as "Clemen-tay." Pinckney was the cousin of businessman and commentator Armstrong Williams.
Pinckney was buried in Marion, South Carolina. His resting place is at the St. James AME Cemetery.
See also
- List of assassinated American politicians
