Suzanne Krebsbach provides a history of the first five bishops of Charleston and how they handled slavery and ministry to majority African American communities after emancipation. She examines John England, Patrick Lynch, Ignatius Reynolds, Williams Russell, and Henry P. Northurp's contributions to Catholicism in Charleston. The volume begins with close analysis of baptismal records, diocesan archives, and published Catholic directories to examine clashes between Irish Republicans and French refugees in the 1800s and how this impacted the church at the time. Then Krebsbach untangles the complex race relations of the Catholic church from Lynch's defense of slavery to Northurp's efforts to minister to the African American community, and from efforts by Black Catholics to acquire autonomy in the Black Catholic congregations of St. James and St. Peter parishes to the actions of the Josephites during segregation. The book provides a detailed account of Catholic history in Charleston.

Suzanne Krebsbach is an independent historian in Charleston, South Carolina, USA.