Charleston Library honors librarian killed in Emanuel 9 shooting

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The Charleston County Public Library is honoring Cynthia Graham Hurd, a librarian who was one of the nine killed inside Mother Emanuel Church six years ago.

The Charleston County Public Library now holds a month-long book drive every June in her honor.

Cynthia’s brother, Malcolm Graham says although there is no doubt the anniversary is a sad day, he wants the community to focus on how she lived, not how she died.

“Cynthia was just, she was personable. She was sharp. She was candid. She loved the City of Charleston. She loved her co-workers at the Charleston County Library,” Malcolm Graham said. “The library now bears her name. She loved community involvement, and literacy and reading.”

Malcolm Graham says this is just one of the ways we can remember Cynthia and the others who were brutally murdered inside these church walls.

Graham is travelling down to Charleston from Charlotte to be with his sister’s friends, family and others who lost their loved ones at the Mother Emanuel AME Church. He says that the issues of gun control and racism still need to be addressed.

“Racism still exists,” Graham said. “Not as blatant as someone going into a church and killing nine individuals but it still exists in systems, the political system where people are putting artificial barriers.”

Mother Emanuel will be holding events to commemorate the anniversary and the church is also set to hold a virtual Emanuel 9 Senior Citizen’s Luncheon on Tuesday.

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