Cynthia Marie Graham Hurd

People

Cynthia Marie Graham Hurd

Outcome

unknown

Cynthia Marie Graham Hurd (June 21, 1960 – June 17, 2015) was a beloved librarian and community leader in Charleston, South Carolina, who was assassinated along with eight other congregants during a Wednesday night Bible study session at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church by white supremacist Dylann Roof. At 54 years old, Hurd had devoted 31 years to the Charleston County Public Library system and was guided by her conviction that "libraries are always inclusive, never exclusive." She was killed four days before her 55th birthday. Cynthia Graham Hurd was born on June 21, 1960, in Charleston, South Carolina, to Melvin and Henrietta Johnson Graham. A lifelong resident of Charleston's North Central community, she received her early education at Immaculate Conception School, James Simons Elementary School, and the High School of Charleston. She earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Clark Atlanta University and in 1989 completed her Master's degree in library and information science at the University of South Carolina. Hurd began her library career in 1984 and served the Charleston community for 31 years. Since 1990, she had worked as branch manager of the John L. Dart Library in downtown Charleston, and since 2011 she had been manager of the St. Andrews Regional Library. She also worked part-time at the Robert Scott Small Library and Addlestone Library at the College of Charleston since the 1990s. Known for her dedication to public service, she believed deeply in the library's role as a welcoming space for all community members. Beyond her library work, Hurd served on the board of the Housing Authority of the City of Charleston for over twenty years and on the board of the nonprofit Septima P. Clark Corporation. She was a devoted member of Emanuel AME Church and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. After her mother's death fifteen years prior, she became a mother figure to her younger brother Malcolm Graham, a former North Carolina state senator. On June 17, 2015, Hurd attended the Wednesday night Bible study at Emanuel AME Church when Dylann Roof opened fire, killing her and eight other worshippers. Her death sparked an outpouring of tributes from the library community and beyond, with colleagues and patrons remembering her warmth, dedication, and commitment to serving others. Multiple institutions have honored Hurd's legacy. The College of Charleston renamed its Colonial Scholarship to the Cynthia Graham Hurd Memorial Scholarship. The University of South Carolina School of Library and Information Science established the Cynthia Graham Hurd Endowed Fellowship Fund. Springer Nature offers an annual Cynthia Graham Hurd Memorial Scholarship to librarians. The St. Andrews Library branch, where she served as manager, was renamed in her honor. In 2021, she was featured in the South Carolina African American History Calendar. The Cynthia Graham Hurd Foundation continues her legacy through literacy programs and scholarships.