Charleston City Hall to glow yellow in remembrance of Holocaust victims

Charleston, South Carolina – Charleston City Hall will glow yellow on Tuesday night as the city pauses to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day, joining communities around the world in honoring the victims of one of history’s darkest chapters. The illumination is being done in partnership with the Jewish Federation of Greater Charleston and is meant to serve as both a memorial and a statement of resolve.

Observed each year on January 27, International Holocaust Remembrance Day commemorates the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. The date has become a global moment to remember the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust, along with millions of others who were targeted by Nazi persecution, and to reaffirm a commitment to confronting antisemitism and hatred in all forms.

City Hall, located at 80 Broad Street, will be lit in yellow throughout the evening. The color carries deep historical meaning. During the Holocaust, Jews were forced to wear yellow badges as a means of identification and dehumanization. By illuminating the building in yellow, the city is reclaiming the color as a symbol of dignity, resilience, and remembrance.

Charleston’s observance is rooted in its long-standing connection to Jewish history. The city is home to one of the oldest continuous Jewish communities in North America. In the years following World War II, Holocaust survivors found refuge in Charleston, where they rebuilt their lives and became an integral part of the city’s civic, cultural, and religious landscape.

City leaders say the illumination is more than a visual tribute. It is intended as a reminder of the responsibility to remember the past, educate future generations, and stand firmly against hate, bigotry, and discrimination wherever they appear.