June 18, 2015- PEN American Center expresses its grief and outrage at the act of terrorism perpetrated at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church last night. The massacre of nine people at the historic black church in Charleston, S.C., is a horrific crime. Attacks on historically black places of worship have a long and gruesome history in the United States. These attacks are attempts to terrorize and silence black communities. PEN reaffirms its commitment to working for social justice in the United States, protecting free expression for all, and upholding our Charter, which calls on PEN Members to “do their utmost to dispel race, class, and national hatreds.” PEN calls on the authorities to take swift action to bring the perpetrator of the shooting to justice.