A New Wave of Talent visits the French Protestant (Huguenot) Church!

The College of Charleston’s French Department is offering a unique First Year Experience (FYE) this semester. The course discusses the presence and history of the French culture in Charleston. This is the second time the course is offered, and it hasn’t disappointed! Taught by Dr. Margaret Keneman, the students have been delving deep into Charleston’s past and present discovering who we are as a city.

This semester, the students are conducting a solo research project on the individual Huguenot of their choosing. They will be visiting the society following Thanksgiving to explore our library and archives for genealogical material relevant to their figure. Using French Santee as their guide for their journey, the list of Huguenots of choice range from Jean Boyd to the Mazyck family.

In October 2022, the students visited the church with Renee Marshall, who gave them a brief history of the site and answered questions. The students had time to explore the sanctuary and study the plaques on the walls. Many took photos and continued to ask questions. Their projects will be presented to the class to show how their research has developed. This is a wonderful, intelligent cohort of students, and we cannot wait to see where their studies take them. The society is honored to be a part of their research and genealogical journey!