Althea Richardson Latham served as secretary for the late Reverend and Senator Clementa Pinckney. In a recent interview with South Carolina Public Radio, Latham shared how she’s moved from anger to healing, during the 10 years since the tragic massacre at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston. She said a major milestone on her road to healing, is being able to physically speak Dylan Roof’s name.
“I can call his name now; I used to say that boy.” Latham said this feat is only possible because of God. "Though the grace of God, I can say his name without total hatred.”
The night of the shooting, Latham said she learned the details of the tragedy through phone calls. She was at the church earlier but left to go home. Her plan was to return for the bible study. She said, as she was about to leave when the church' secretary called and asked, “is your TV on?” Another call came from her home church pastor, Reverend Annabelle Robinson.
“My phone rang, and I said, what's going on?” Latham said Robinson first asked if she was okay and then instructed her to calm down. After learning of the deaths, Latham recalls talking to a police officer to give him the code and procedure to access the security system.
Leading up to the 10-year anniversary of the shooting at Mother Emanuel, Latham said she finds herself increasingly thinking about the victims; more than she normally does.
"Rev. Pinckney was one of the best bosses I've ever had." She called the senator very caring and people-oriented and stressed how much he cared about his community.
Prior to working for Sen. Pinckney and Emanuel, Latham also worked for Rev. Simmons. "He was the Pastor at Greater Zion in Awendaw and I worked for him for five years."
Althea Richardson Latham is the former secretary to the late Reverend and Clementa Pinckney. She refers to church as a safe space and place of refuge. It was inside her home church of Emanuel AME in West Ashely, that Latham spoke with South Carolina Public Radio about her road to healing 10 years after the racist attack at Mother Emanuel AME Church in downtown Charleston. The West Ashely church grew out of the historic downtown church, where Latham worked, and bears a notable likeness to it.
She called the names of everyone who attended the bible study that night, and reflected on how leading up to the anniversary, each year, is always hard. Her road to healing has included both public and personal reflections. This year, Latham said she will probably spend the day alone.
As for how she has personally changed, the 72-year-old said she believes she is a lot more humble. “I’m a lot more caring. I’m not as judge mental; because, you know, one moment you’re here and you just don’t ever know.”
But Latham also said she is optimistic tragedies like the Mother Emanuel Church shooting, won’t happen again.
“It's gonna happen. It's gonna happen. The Word says, cast all your cares upon Him, because he cares for you.”
