Ruth Miller: Guest Speaker & Grave Expert

This past Monday, our "Beyond the Grave" class welcomed guest speaker, Ruth Miller. Originally a tour guide, Miller became interested in graveyards and wanted to learn more. For over 40 years, Miller has been involved with Charleston history. If that isn't enough, she is also a published author who has written a total of seven books.

During her lecture, Miller discussed how Charleston was one of the most populated and wealthy cities in the United States back in the 1770's, with more people than Boston or New York City. The city was also considered the most cosmopolitan city in America in 1776. Because of its location on the peninsula, Charleston was able to have a successful port; primarily to export rice, as "75% of the rice in the world came from Charleston." Because of the port, Charleston was also the center of slave trade in the southern part of the United States.

Throughout Charleston history, only rich white that were able to afford headstones were buried in the graveyards. As a result, bodies were buried all over downtown Charleston if they were not laid to rest in graveyards. This typically included pirates, slaves, criminals, or suicides. Miller mentioned to us that, "if we are walking in Charleston, we are walking on someone's grave." She later went on to explain that during the construction of Addlestone library, 36 unidentified skeletons were found and were most likely slaves that were buried there. This was the point in her lecture that I was able to fully grasp the idea that there really were bodies buried under the streets of Charleston.

Overall, Ruth Miller's presentation to our class proved to be insightful and informative and I am glad that I was able to hear hear speak. She was able to discuss a wide variety of information to assist us in our "Beyond the Grave" class.

Ruth Miller and Professor Harwood posing for a photo