Remembering SC Sen. Clementa Pinckney: ‘A man that is ... truly being missed’
Clementa Pinckney’s trademark smile returned to the state Senate chamber Wednesday, his portrait unveiled as his family and colleagues reflected on the slain senator’s legacy.
“Being the humble person that he was, he would say: ‘No, not me. I’m not worthy to be hung with such greatness,’ ” Pinckney’s widow, Jennifer, said shortly after the portrait was unveiled.
Jennifer Pinckney recalled snapshots of her husband’s life – his trial sermon, his many graduations and the birth of his two daughters. “This is just a small, small snippet of the great, gentle giant of a man that always wore a smile, spoke with authority,” she said.
Lawmakers and Pinckney’s family gathered in the Senate chamber Wednesday afternoon to remember and celebrate Pinckney’s life. The Jasper Democrat was gunned down along with eight other parishioners during a Bible study in Charleston’s Emanuel AME Church nearly a year ago.
“He was killed because of ignorance and intolerance, and because his killer had access to a gun that should have been denied him,” said state Sen. Gerald Malloy, D-Darlington.
Malloy reflected on Pinckney’s political legacy, including the senator’s call for body cameras following the shooting death of an unarmed motorist in North Charleston, Walter Scott, and the Democrat’s push to expand health care to the uninsured.
“His portrait reminds us to work for all South Carolinians, not for those who look like us, live near us or belong to our own political party,” Malloy said.
Pinckney’s two daughters, Eliana and Malana, pulled the purple cloth off their father’s portrait, revealing — to loud applause — a painting of a smiling Pinckney standing in front of a stained-glass window at Emanuel, where he was the pastor.
Columbia artist Larry Lebby spent seven months on the portrait, calling the process a “once-in-a-lifetime journey.”
Senate President Pro Tempore Hugh Leatherman, R-Florence, noted Pinckney’s portrait will hang among dozens of other South Carolinians who have made their mark on the state.
“As generations of senators occupy these seats, they will see his bright eyes and smiling face,” Leatherman said. “But they will not remember the tragedy that took him from us. Instead, his lasting legacy is of God’s grace that can face down any evil and lead us all to a better place.”
Earlier Wednesday, ministers and lawmakers prayed for tolerance and unity.
They asked God for judgment and understanding, and to help them follow Pinckney’s example.
“We need to recognize that the divisions that divide us are fewer than the commonalities that we share,” said state Rep. Joe Neal, D-Richland, who spoke at the prayer service. “So what we want to do here today — in light of what happened in Charleston, in light of the loss of Sen. Pinckney and the other people who were killed — we want to make an effort to urge the faith community to come together in prayer and provide leadership in the communities.”
Pinckney was one of those leaders, his family and friends said Wednesday.
The senator-pastor was a public servant and God’s servant, Jennifer Pinckney said after the unveiling.
“Everyone was important to him,” she said. “Everyone was worthy. He was a man that would work for you, or he would politely persuade you; a man that would pray for you and with you; a man that is being missed, that is truly being missed.”
Avery G. Wilks: 803-771-8362, @averygwilks Cassie Cope: 803-771-8657, @cassielcope
Reflections on a life
‘Clementa is with all of us’
“Thank you, to the people of South Carolina. Thank you for your unwavering support, your outpouring of love and the support that you’ve given me, the entire family. I know that Clementa is with all of us. He may not be here physically, but he’s with us. And we’re going to miss him.”
— Jennifer Pinckney, widow of state Sen. Clementa Pinckney
‘His death must lead to reconciliation’
"His life and his death must lead to reconciliation here in our state. When we see his portrait in here from now on, we will be reminded what a great senator is, what a great person is, what a great friend is.”
— State Sen. Gerald Malloy, D-Darlington
‘Not how long he lived, it’s how well’
“One of the things I can say about Sen. Clementa Pinckney is not how long he lived, it’s how well. It’s not the number of years you served; it’s what you do with those years of service. And clearly, Sen. Pinckney, the one thing you could always say about Sen. Pinckney, he had a good heart.”
— State Sen. John Matthews, D-Orangeburg
‘A blessing to South Carolina’
“The life of Clementa Pinckney was a blessing for South Carolina. It was a blessing in that he spent his lifetime in service to his God and to his fellow man. He is sorely missed. I miss him every day."
— State Rep. Joe Neal, D-Richland
This story was originally published May 25, 2016 at 3:22 PM with the headline "Remembering SC Sen. Clementa Pinckney: ‘A man that is ... truly being missed’."