Although 40 years have passed since Riley first walked through the doors of City Hall, his vision has remained constant. Particularly vital to his dream for Charleston is racial harmony. It is why he ran for mayor, and he seeks to constantly improve upon this goal. The racial progress he has made while in office was tested this summer when nine people were shot while praying at Emanuel AME church. Addressing racial harmony, he said, “We must continually work on inclusiveness and understanding of each other, and so that’s the most important work in progress and I’m very proud of where we are, how far we’ve come.” Riley attended every funeral. The Emanuel tragedy shook everyone to the bone,
“helping make important and worthwhile things happen” a definition he lives up to every day. So what advice would one of the most successful people in Charleston give his twenty-year-old self ? Learn. Work. Have good values. Take care of family. Treat people nicely. Give back to the community … Not that any of this is different from what he actually did. And that’s just the kind of person Riley is. His life philosophy is simple; its composition is that of adages and values we’ve all heard before. But to carry out those life tenets so gracefully, thoughtfully and consistently creates greatness. Riley is confident that the direction he created in
Mayor Joe Riley at his home away from home in City Hall. (Photo by Joshua Mulvaney)
spurring anger and passion and a newfound impetus for change. Riley is building upon the energy of these emotions, constructing a just future from careful study of the past. By the end of his term, he hopes to raise $75 million to construct the International African American museum, which will be located on Gadsen’s Wharf on the Cooper River - the entry point for over 100,000 slaves to the United States. He believes the museum will educate everyone about African American lives, experiences and contributions that “haven’t been well presented.” A special exhibition will focus on the Emanuel shooting. Raising $75 million is not an easy feat, but for Riley, it is just part of the job. He defines success in his career as
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Charleston is the way it should be going. In another 40 years, he hopes that his vision for the city will be further advanced along the same lines, but with even better public education, public transportation, historic protection and parks. These were all components of his original platform in 1975. His mission is clear, and now he just needs someone to carry on the torch. Perhaps his ultimate secret to success, one that he has epitomized throughout his career, lies in this final piece of advice: “Seek something that you like to do. [It’s] really more important than money because life is - it’s finite. So seek to do something in a good way.”
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