Margaret Seidler, an award-winning author, delivered the keynote at Seneca, South Carolina’s 14th annual Black History Luncheon on Friday, sharing revelations from her book Payne-ful Business: Charleston’s Journey to Truth about her family’s deep ties to Charleston’s slave trade.
Family Legacy
Seidler’s fourth great-grandfather, William Payne, ran the city’s largest auction house for enslaved people, personally selling over 9,000 individuals, with her family’s involvement spanning about 100 years across eight generations of prominent traders who amassed then lost wealth post-Civil War. Despite east-side Charleston roots, she was surprised to uncover this history.
Event Highlights
Organized by Seneca’s Arts, History & Culture Department, the luncheon featured remarks from Mayor Ronnie O’Kelley, Museums Manager Joseph Alewine, City Administrator Scott Moulder, and Rev. WC Honeycutt, who gave the invocation; Lynn Mosby emceed alongside a John W. Jones painting of enslaved woman Molly. This Upstate event echoes your interest in Lowcountry history and community confrontations with painful legacies near North Charleston.
