Fashion In Tombstones: Ruth Miller on Charleston Graveyards

 Ruth Miller, author, gives a lecture to FSYE
class on Graveyards. 

Ruth Miller not only visits graveyards, she writes books about them. With excitement and enthusiasm, Ruth Miller described to us the interesting and somewhat surprising history of Charleston graveyards. From Anglicans to Huguenots, Miller covers it all. 

Ruth Miller started as a tour guide in Charleston before she became enamored with Charleston graveyards and published/Co-authored several books, including  "Charleston Charlie," "A Witness to History: Charleston's Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon," "The Angel Oak Story" and "Touring the Tombstones." 

Miller's talk was passionate and engaging as she explained the vast and interesting history behind the various graveyards surrounding Charleston. Miller was sure to cover all the various religions that took root in Charleston over the ages, including the Anglicans, Congregationalists, Anabaptists, Quakers, Methodists, Huguenots, Sephardic Jews, German-speaking Lutherans, Roman Catholics and Presbyterians. 

Miller pointed out that "While graveyards tell us a lot a lack of them tell us a lot too." I thought this was interesting as I had never considered that a lack of representation in a graveyard would indicate the political-climate of an age-past time period or show what the modern opinion on a particular group or organization is today. Miller shared with us the history of colonial Charleston and explained to the class that the South Carolina colonies attracted many different religious groups because the South Carlonia colonies believed, as Miller put it, "We can own your body but we can't own your soul." 

This philosophy allowed slaves to have religious freedoms as well. Due to this policy of religious freedom many different religions congregated in Charleston and therefore there are many different types of graveyards left behind.
Miller divulged from explaining colonial history and shared with us about various graveyards in Charleston she had visited, including Circular Congregational Church and St. Michaels. Miller described the various types of headstones, stating "You can find fashion in Tombstones," and explained that majority of headstones were shipped from New England because there are no natural rocks in Charleston.

Overall Miller's enthusiasm for graveyards and the history behind Charleston was enjoyable to engage in and very informational. Miller's passion for history and what lies beyond the tombstone was a very valuable experience and I'm very glad I was able to hear her lecture.