Saying Goodbye To Rev. Clementa Pinckney

Published June 26, 2015 at 1:33 PM EDT

Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal church is seen in the background as women dressed in white wait to enter the funeral service where U.S. President Barack Obama will deliver the eulogy for South Carolina State senator and Rev. Clementa Pinckney who was killed along with eight others in a mass shooting June 26, 2015 in Charleston, South Carolina. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Thousands of mourners are gathered Friday to hear President Barack Obama pay tribute to the pastor and eight parishioners of the Emanuel AME Church today.

The nine were slain at the church during a Bible study session last week in what authorities are investigating as a racially-motivated attack.

Today’s service for the Rev. Clementa Pinckney, who was also a state senator, promised to be another wrenching but cathartic occasion for the community to say goodbye to the victims.

Hansi Lo Wang of NPR joins Here & Now’s Jeremy Hobson from Charleston with details.

Guest

Hansi Lo Wang, reporter for NPR’s Code Switch team. He tweets @hansilowang.

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