DIHS program to feature acclaimed author
The late Pat Conroy called her work “transcendent” and “courageous.” For author Michele Moore, the buzz over her Charleston-based novel, The Cigar Factory, is reaching a new level of excitement. The book recently received the 2016 Langum Prize in American Historical Fiction.
“I was shocked to have won the Langum Prize because my competition on the shortlist included Annie Proulx,” stated Moore, who grew up in Atlanta. “I am always thrilled to hear when someone loves the story I’ve told in The Cigar Factory. I enjoyed the research and the writing very much. Writing is such a solitary endeavor and I didn’t know if the story would ever find its way to print, or how it would be received, so I’m very happy about the response.”
Moore will serve as the guest speaker at a special program hosted by the Daniel Island Historical Society on February 21 at 7 p.m. at Church of the Holy Cross. The author intends to share with the audience how she created the story behind The Cigar Factory, which is set in early 20th century Charleston. As a DIHS announcement about the program states, Moore “pulls back the curtain on the often overlooked history of working class Charleston” with the tale of “two entwined families, both devout Catholics - the Irish-American McGonegals and the African-American Ravenels, who forge friendships through struggle.”
Moore’s father was raised in Charleston by his great aunt, who worked at the Cigar Factory (the building still stands on East Bay Street). According to Moore, it was this family history that eventually drew her to the location, where black and white women worked in the same factory but were kept segregated. The theme of strong women overcoming racial divisions is a central part of the novel. What does Moore hope her readers take away?
“We are more alike than different. And I wanted people to see and hear about the rich world of the working people of Charleston, black and white. And with the language, I wanted to preserve it in some way and to show that West African culture has influenced the speech and customs of the people of the Lowcountry, regardless of race or class.”
For more information on the upcoming DIHS program, visit http://dihistoricalsociety.com/calendar-of-events/.